


Light's Mirage

by Harmonies_in_Bloom



Category: Heaven's Secret (Visual Novel), Romance club - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:40:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 119,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25645942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harmonies_in_Bloom/pseuds/Harmonies_in_Bloom
Summary: Due to the close friendship of both their mothers, Lucifer and Ciana used to be best friends despite one being an angel and the other a demon. Until Lucifer's mom mysteriously passed away and Ciana completely cut off all contact with the demon and disappeared along with her family during the demon's darkest hours. Betrayal from the one he trusted the most became the reason towards his deep resentment towards the angels and the reason behind his distrust in anyone. But fate brought them back into each other's lives as adults, how will they both try to maneuver around their childhood traumas and how will they individually choose to feel and think of each other as grown ups? Will everything end up in more heartbreak or does fate have something more in stored for them?
Relationships: Lucifer/Ciana, Lucifer/MC, Lucifer/Vicky, Vicky/Dino
Comments: 21
Kudos: 54





	1. Re-encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer*: This story is based off Romance Club's novel Heaven's Secret. My fanfic's story line and main events have been mostly fully thought out prior to the full release of the novel and even prior to the August 8th update. I altered my story to match up as much to the time line and events shown in the game's as new updates come out, but most of the main events occurring to the MC of my story are solely my idea. If the end events turn out to be similar to that of the game's then it's a huge coincidence.
> 
> I'm also fairly aware that many readers are huge Lucifer x Vicky shippers, and understand this story isn't for everyone since the ship is huge in the community.
> 
> Another thing I'm aware of is that my writing style isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. My writing style is very descriptive and detail oriented, with many hidden clues and plots selectively being placed around my story, so it's not going to be a light read. So expect chapter-book styled writing and long chapters instead of shorter ones focused more on dialogue since my story is more based on the events than anything.
> 
> Other than that, thank you all for giving your time to read through my story, and I really hope you enjoy it!  
> -Harmony  
> _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was nearly noon as Lucifer finished his class and headed out towards the field for a break, not feeling the need to show up to his next class. As he leisurely walked by the garden, he noticed that many other angels, demons, and unclaimed were chatting up a storm and were in a hurry. In fact, some professors seemed to also be among the commotion as well.

“She’s here!” He heard an angel whisper excitedly to his friend as they passed Lucifer.

“Hurry, hurry!” Their companion said as they pushed past the crowd in front of them. The devil watched the rumbling crowd intrigued, just what could possibly be causing so much disturbance?

He heard a scoff coming from behind him. “Is this school becoming a joke? We seem to be inviting newbies here so often now it’s making the academy seem like a dump.” He didn’t need to turn around to know who was talking to him. Austie put her hand on his shoulder as she stared down the excited crowd in disgust. “Unclaimed are such a waste of time, why bother bringing them in?” She voiced out with malice. But Lucifer didn’t listen to her, intrigued at what could be causing such a commotion he followed the crowd outside, baffling Austie for a second before deciding to follow him.

The front doors to the school were completely swamped with people. He decided to loom at the back of the crowd and watch. Last time there was a commotion around here was when Vicky had entered the school, but even then, she was only surrounded by the professors and a few unclaimed, nothing compared to the level of what was going on.

“Is it really an unclaimed?” Lucifer asked no one in particular, raising an eyebrow at the crowd. He heard a scoff in front of him. “Are you serious? Why would everyone bother gathering around for a measly unclaimed? Everyone in the academy should know by now, it’s been the talk for days. Must be real dense to not have known abou-” A demon in front of him said, but froze in horror when he turned and saw who he had been talking to. Lucifer didn’t react. With his arms folded in front of him, he simply tilted his head to the side to indicate the demon to move. He immediately parted and shook his friends in a hurry around him to do the same. Slowly the crowd seemed to get the memo and they parted way for Lucifer to get through.

His first instinct as he got to the front and out of the doors was to cover his eyes. Having the academy in Heaven meant that naturally there would be sunlight over the clouds the place was built on, but what he was facing now was a different kind of bright he wasn’t accustomed to.

“Welcome, we’re so honoured to have you attend our Academy.” He heard Fencio say.

“The honour is all mine, thank you for allowing me to attend so late into the semester, you must have gone through great lengths to get me in.” He heard an unknown voice say apologetically.

“Nonsense, the school is indebted to your father, we should be the ones thanking him for allowing you to bless us with your presence.” The professor said, smiling at his guest. Blinking his eyes and adjusting to the new light, he looked over at the pair in front of him. The elder angel seemed to be beyond ecstatic with whomever he was talking to, never had the demon seen him so animated before. And honestly, it was pretty amusing seeing Fencio this way. His gaze trailed over to the figure beside the male angel who had their back to him. Just by being in her presence, he could immediately tell she was an angel. Everything about the newcomer radiated an aura that was pure and bright.

Disgusting. Sickening was the word that described it best to the demon. Studying the newcomer for a few seconds longer, Lucifer frowned. That aura… There was something familiar about it. No, there was something oddly familiar about…her. Everything in him seemed to have stopped working at the sickening thought that crossed his mind. There was absolutely no way…

Fencio sensed him behind them and turned to face him. “Ah, Lucifer… perfect timing, come here. Meet our newest student, Ciana. Ciana this is Lucifer, one of our best students.”

F*cking no way. He took a closer look at the angel next to him and there was no denying it was her. She definitely looked different now than she had back when they were kids. She had become alluring and beautiful in a way that would definitely attract any being within her vicinity if it were anyone else but the demon himself. Her once messy unkempt brown hair was now lighter and well styled, reaching to her waist in a perfect way that accentuated her figure, unlike the scrawny kid she once was. Her once small and white wings were now a shimmering opal. And the awkwardness she had as a child was now replaced by a sense of composure and radiance. The only way he could be confident in who she was were her eyes, her bright golden flecked hazel eyes. Taking a closer look at her, only at that moment did he realize that a warm ray of light was seemingly omitting off of her- no, it was more like an aura of light. You couldn't see it per se, but you could feel it.

The girl politely smiled as she looked him over, not having recognized the man standing in front of her at first. Soon shock seemed to have taken over as she finally recognized Lucifer as well, and a bright smile took over her initial shock. “Lucifer! I didn’t expect to see you here, it’s good to see you again.” She said smiling, her eyes sparkling in delight. Behind them, the crowd started muttering in shock and confusion at the revelation that the son of Satan was on first name basis with Ciana- the daughter of one of the Seraphs under Shepha. A Seraph that had recently taken to be one of Shepha’s personal favourite in so little time people were somewhat intrigued and afraid of him.

Ciana went up to him and wrapped him in a hug. Shocked and unknowing of what to do, he stayed still. Ciana felt him stiffen under her and sensing his displeasure she quickly pulled back in embarrassment. “Sorry, I’m just so surprised at seeing you here, it’s been a long time since we last saw each other.” She said, a small blush appearing on her face. The murmurs behind them grew louder and more frantic. Up until this point no one has known Lucifer to be in contact or have any connection to any angels, specially someone so close to Shepha themselves. Fencio cleared his throat loudly, silencing the murmuring behind the three of them. Although, he too seemed quite shocked at the revelation of their relationship.

“Lucifer, seeing as you know Ciana here, would you mind showing her around campus? I believe she’d feel more at ease having someone known show her around… I’m sure you’ll be a great host, won’t you?” He said the last part with an added bit of malice, a look at his face and Lucifer could also see a newfound tension in his features. Lucifer stared Fencio down, trying to tell him there was no f*ing way he would agree to it, that he could walk over him all he wanted before he would agree to be anywhere near this pest. But the older angel didn’t back down, and ironically for once Lucifer could actually sense some sort of authoritarian power coming off of him. Sensing his victory as the devil didn’t retaliate, Fencio grinned triumphantly and handed a piece of paper with a number written on it to Lucifer.

Greeting his teeth, Lucifer snatched the piece of paper and turned on his heels, seething and mentally throwing profanities towards the professor as he headed back through the crowd. Sensing that no one was following him, he closed his eyes in a futile attempt to not lose his temper and said through clenched teeth without turning around. “You coming, or not?” Ciana having realized he meant her, quickly thanked Fencio before following Lucifer through the front doors and into the building. Lucifer saw the shocked look on Austie’s face but ignored her and the rest of the crowd as he continued into the school.

Lucifer lead her through the open field and through the entrance hall into the main area. Ciana glanced around in awe at the many columns around the school and the large arches that held the school together as they walked through. But very quickly tore her eyes away from the surroundings and focused on the demon instead.

“Sorry for not greeting you properly back then, had I known you would be here I would have asked to have seen you first. You changed so much from when we were younger that I didn’t recognize you.” The girl said gleefully, almost as she were floating from happiness. “Then again, your tattoos and you no longer being a good 4 feet tall really make a difference.” Lucifer kept silent, allowing the angel to blabber on her own. The less they engaged in talk, the quicker this tour would be and the fastest he could get rid of her.

“Hold on!” She panted trying to catch up with him and his large strides. “You haven’t shown me this part of the school yet!” She said pointing at the right side. “And I don’t intend to.” He muttered, climbing the stairs leading to the living quarters.

“But Fencio said you would give me a tour around campus.” She said confused, straining to catch her breath as she quickened her pace.

“He said to show you around, not give an entire tour,” he paused for a second as he looked down at the number Fencio had given him. “Should have picked someone better fitted for the role if you wanted an actual one.” He said, stopping in front of a door after checking the number once more. Nodding, he crumbled the piece of paper and turned the knob. “Welcome to your room.” He said unceremoniously, pushing her through the door-frame into the room. Ciana looked around in confusion and turned around to look at Lucifer. “Goodbye then.” He said, planning on closing the door on her. But the girl stopped him, placing her hand on the door.

“Hey, that’s not fair! At least tell me where my classes are, or tell me the rules surrounding the school before you so blatantly try to lock me in my room!” She said, agitation clear on her face. Lucifer found this amusing. “I see you’re not as composed as you make yourself seem, huh your highness?” He asked mockingly, only making the frown lines on Ciana’s forehead more prominent.

“When did you become so intolerable?” She asked, crossing her arms in front of her.

“Wouldn’t you love to know? Guess you shouldn’t have disappeared all those years back if you wanted to have seen me grow up into this.” He said mockingly, pointing at himself. Before she could say more, he removed her hands and slammed the door closed. He smirked triumphantly and turned around to leave but stopped when he saw a familiar form walk up to him. His smirk quickly faded, and his heart skipped a beat.

“What are you doing here?” He asked the unclaimed gruffly.

“I should be the one asking that… these are the girl quarters.” Vicky said amused, looking at the door behind him. “Whose room is that?”

Before he could answer, the door behind him opened and a slightly angered Ciana came out. “Hey! Look you freaking meat hea-“ Ciana stopped mid sentence and her eyes widened when she noticed Vicky standing in front of her. “Oh my, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to yell at you! I was just…” She turned and threw imaginary daggers at the demon, ready to pounce on him for his attitude, but was slightly taken aback when she noticed the way his eyes lingered on Vicky when he thought she wasn’t looking.

The unclaimed took a second to study Ciana before a look of recognition appeared on her face. She shook her head, smiling. “I’m Vicky, you must be Ciana, the girl everyone’s been talking about lately.” Vicky said, extending her hand out. Ciana took her eyes away from Lucifer and shook off the initial shock and smiled, taking her hand. “Nice to meet you Vicky. I wasn’t aware that there has been talk about me around here.”

The demon scoffed at hearing her words. “Right, as if your family name isn’t something to start a commotion over.” He muttered under his breath, still avoiding eye contact. Ciana frowned for a fraction of a second but ultimately ignored him. When had he become so resentful to her and her family? She cleared the thought from her head and turned back to Vicky.

“I’m really sorry for yelling just now, I didn’t know you were outside the door.”

Vicky laughed. “No worries, when it comes to Lucifer, feeling the need to throw out profanities is a normal reaction to have. It took me a while to realize that’s just part of his character.” Ciana took a quick glance at Lucifer and noticed his stiff form and the way he was avoiding her eyes, his fists clenched slightly. After a few seconds of silence Vicky furrowed her eyebrows and looked over the two of them. “What WHERE you actually doing here...together, Lucifer?” Vicky quietly asked, looking between them.

Lucifer kept silent, but Ciana could feel he wanted to erase any assumptions that she might have come up between them. Sensing the situation, Ciana quickly put up a smile and nodded towards the room she had just came out from.“Fencio is a close family friend, he wanted to make sure I didn’t get lost on my first day, so he asked Lucifer to escort me since he seemed the know the area well.” She noticed Vicky visually relax a bit at the comment and smiled. “That makes sense, he is considered one of the school’s best students.”

Ciana smiled, she was about to comment that he had always been smart, but sensed that Lucifer might not want her to know about their connection, so she stopped herself.

“I hope he kept his promise and gave you a good tour?” Vicky directed the question at Lucifer. Oh how badly Ciana wanted to throw the demon under the bus just to watch this smugness get wiped clean off his face. But seeing how affected he was because of this one girl, Ciana decided against it. It wasn’t everyday you saw your once best friend looking so awkward around the girl they had feelings for. Having parted from him at such a young age, she never got to see this soft awkward side of him, and as much as she wanted to get back at him for his rude behaviour just now, she wasn’t going to ruin that for some petty treatment he’d just given her. Her angel side wouldn’t allow her to do that without feeling guilty afterwards anyways.

Ciana noticed the shadow cast from the light outside the window, indicating that it was close to dusk. “I didn’t think it was getting this later already… It was nice meeting you Vicky, but actually I think I should start unpacking.” She said, putting on sheepish look. She started turning the knob of her door but paused for a second before turning to the unclaimed. “You know, I don’t feel comfortable with leaving Lucifer here in the girl’s quarters if no one is watching. Would you mind taking Lucifer with you? He already finished his duties as a guide, so there’s no point of him staying here.” She said.

This got the demon’s attention. Lucifer looked up at her in surprise and confusion, he thought for sure the angel would have ratted him out and would have made him show her around even if it were the last thing she did. Because honestly, that's what mini Ciana would have done.

Vicky nodded and smiled. “Sure, it was nice meeting you Ciana, hope we can get to know each other better.”

Ciana nodded. “Of course, it was nice meeting you as well.” With a wave, Vicky took a hold of Lucifer’s arm and pulled him out. The two immediately engaging in bickering as they continued down the hallway.

Ciana quietly watched the pair disappear into the distance before turning around and walking into her new room.

* * *

A week had passed, and as expected, the new student was still the main topic of the school. Although most kept the talk on the girl herself, from time to time Lucifer’s name would pop up along. Lucifer didn’t pay much mind to it at first, having grown used to being a main topic of interest in the school on a daily anyways. But what really started ticking him off was the way people started speculating how the two knew each other, or assuming that the demon had a secret soft side for the angel. And it definitely didn’t help that the stupid angel kept attempting to tag along with him or constantly try to start up a conversation with him. Ignoring her and giving her the cold shoulder seemed to have worked the first day or so, but she somehow had become immune to his coldness, and if there was anything more that he despised in the whole world, was the stupid bright smile she always adorned. He hated how she was perceived as a saint, everyone seemed to flock around her and treat her like royalty. Ah wait, that probably is because she pretty much was one.

Ciana walked through the classroom doors, and the room immediately went silent, everyone’s attention directed on her. The girl looked around, seemingly unfazed by the attention on her. Noticing Lucifer at the back of the class, her face lit up. Gracefully, in a way that was almost unnatural, she walked between the rows of desks and stopped right in front of the demon.

Lucifer had his feet resting on top of his desk while leaning back on his seat with his arms locked behind him. With his eyes closed, he gave off a sense of inattentiveness and no care of whatever was going on around him. The angel cleared her throat to alert him of her presence but was easily ignored by the demon. After a few seconds of no reaction, not wanting to bother his restful form, the angel went around the desk and was about to sit down on the empty chair next to Lucifer’s when all of a sudden he moved his feet from over the table onto the chair, blocking her path.

“Seat’s taken.” He muttered, calmly keeping his eyes closed. Ciana slowly nodded before heading for the other open chair on his other side. But before she could, she was met with a loud bang. Yelping in shock, she looked over at the demon next to her who was now staring at her with cold red eyes. “Seat’s taken.” He repeated. Ciana frowned at him. “Both of them? Reserved for your ego and attitude?” She joked, trying to diffuse the situation. But she immediately regretted her words when the demon stood up, throwing back his chair and glared at her.

“Let me make this very clear to you, your highness.” He growled, adding extra emphasize on the last word. By now the room had completely frozen in silence, every set of eyes set on the pair. “You and I are not friends, not even remotely acquainted. I don’t know you and you don’t know me. I absolutely despise having you talking to me so informally when clearly, I don’t want anything to do with you. So f*cking stop marching up on me with your pretentious golden attitude in a false pretense that I owe you anything. Got it?!” He growled at her, his face right up in hers so she couldn’t miss the deep hatred he felt for her in his glowing red eyes, so she couldn’t miss the deadly malice he directly spat at her. For a split second, she let her guard down, the confident façade she had honed crumbled and her true feelings seeped through. Hurt and disbelief quickly flashed through her golden hazel eyes before she caught herself and schooled her demeanor back to one of confidence and indifference.

"Is there a problem here?” A cautious yet confident voice came up behind them. “Is Lucifer here giving you trouble?” The man asked again when no one uttered a response, placing a gentle hand on Ciana’s shoulder. Composed again, Ciana shook her head. “No, everything is fine.”

Lucifer chuckled. “Of course the golden boy comes to a damsel’s rescue. Hi Dino boy, how about minding your own business?” He hissed at the man in distaste. But the angel ignored him, his eyes still trained on Ciana’s face. Noticing how the angel was waiting for her response, Ciana shook her head and took a small step back, straightening herself before looking directly into the demon’s eyes.

“Sorry for troubling you, seems like I've mistakenly taken you for someone else. I’ll make sure to stay well out of your way from now on.” She said in a schooled tone before she turned and nodded at Dino. The angel understanding her message, lead her away from the demon and to an empty table near the front of the class. No one dared say anything or comment on the situation, so the class in an awkward silence quietly waited for the class to begin. Luckily, they didn’t have to wait long for the teacher to come in.

Lucifer, satisfied with the outcomes of the encounter, relaxed back into his chair. Man had he waited so long for this day to come, to finally put that intolerable angel in her place. He couldn’t help but smirk at the way the angel seemed unlike her bubbly self now, seemingly fairly aware of the piercing gaze the demon directed at her back.


	2. Old Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Preview: Lucifer closed his eyes as a hiss escaped his lips, his wing dripping in blood from overexertion after being slashed at earlier. His breathing intensified as pain jabbed him from all sides. His eyelids started drooping in fatigue, the strength he had left slowly draining out of him, and just when he felt like he would slip away, a warmth washed over him.

Ciana quickly learned that gossip in this place traveled at ungodly speed. Everyone seemed to have heard about Lucifer’s blow up on her in a version or another. Normally she would have planned of an escape route out of this place by now, but that clearly wasn’t an option. She knew that she had to keep her parents’ reputation in mind and constantly remind herself of the main reason why she had to leave all familiarities behind and attend the academy in the first place. Luckily, meeting Dino had given her some sort of comfort and encouragement. Despite the two not having personally met before the male angel lent her a hand during the classroom incident, Fencio had brought up and mentioned his son during conversations with her parents before, as did her parents with Ciana, so in a way they had become acquainted prior to their meeting. The male angel tried his best to try and catch Ciana in with all the to know abouts around the school, and although he admitted he wasn’t the best at making friends, he had introduced the angel around to other people. And as awkward as he thought he was with others, she had to give him credit because everyone he talked to seemed to like and respect him in a way or another. And it was due to this fact that it didn’t take long for Ciana to figure out that despite Dino never bragging about his standing, he was actually at the top of the school’s reputation pyramid alongside Lucifer. But more than anything, she was just thankful to have someone she felt wasn’t seeing her as a peculiar specimen about to be studied, but instead seen as another student.

It was about a week after the incident in the classroom. And although people thought of her highly because of her family name and were polite and respectful to her when alone, her reputation became completely invalid when put in the same room or in the same vicinity as the demon. The demons in the class would joyously mockingly remind her of the incident in the classroom. And even though Lucifer didn’t do anything to actually orchestrate the event, just simply the fact he sat at the back of the class all relaxed showed just how much he truly enjoyed the spectacle and just how little he actually thought of Ciana. A few angels would throw sympathetic glances at her, but ultimately settled on not getting involved and avoiding getting in Lucifer’s range of fire. But she didn’t blame them, after first handed experiencing the demon’s wrath, she wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. It was natural for her to pretend it didn’t affect her at all, turning her head on bad situations was what she had been taught to do; to never elevate a situation and to try to keep calm. So that’s what she did.

Being in the same school guaranteed the chances of the two crossing paths with the other, but whenever that occurred, the angel opted on letting the demon pass first or find another route completely. The demon on the other hand, seemed to not even bat an eye at her even if she were right in front of him.

Ciana couldn’t comprehend at all as to why Lucifer would be so cold towards her at all. The guy she had met was nothing like the boy she remembered from her past. Even after all the years they had apart she still thought fondly of their moments together, and always tried to preserve the fleeting memories they had shared all those years ago. But maybe that was what it all was, simply fleeting memories. People were bound to change over time, and maybe holding onto a version of Lucifer from the past for this long only made her blind or unaccepting of who he truly was today. Maybe in a futile attempt at keeping the good memories close to heart she was recalling past memories wrong and unknowingly morphing them into a narrative she wanted to be true instead. And as much as she hoped in giving their friendship another chance after seeing him again after so many years of longing, she just knew that the demon didn’t feel or shared the same sentiments as her. She didn’t want to admit it, but knowing how the demon really felt about her deeply hurt her. The pure red hatred he omitted towards her when he looked at her was enough to instantly crush everything in her, even simply recalling the moment made her insides churn.

She knew he mentioned something about her leaving him, but in her recollection, she honestly didn’t remember any of that. All she remembered was one day leaving the demon’s place feeling the happiest she’s ever felt, and the next having completely grown up and only occasionally wondering about how her childhood best friend was- but having him completely out of her mind had never been the case. Her father had ascended into a Seraph position quite suddenly, and all she truly remembered from most of her youth was learning how to adapt and learning how to present herself because of her new status. Whenever she had reached peak curiosity and managed to muster enough courage to ask her parents about Lucifer, they would always answer back that he himself had his own duties to attend to, or that timing wasn’t favourable for the two to meet at the time. She soon came to terms that asking her parents about her best friend wouldn’t account to much, so she stopped asking all together. She always wondered if her friend thought about her as much as she thought of him. But now she had her answer, and it clearly wasn’t one she had hoped for.

She sighed slightly as she looked out of her bedroom window. A cup of hot chocolate held between her fingers as she watched the raindrops palter the window, thick droplets streaking down the pane as she gazed outside. Between her thoughts and the soothing drumming of rain she had lost track of how long she had been sitting there for.

“Very fitting mood.” Someone said behind her.

“Hmm?” Ciana muttered quietly, not fully paying attention. A sigh came from her companion before they flopped down next to the angel on the window seat. “This whole moody thing really isn’t very fitting on angels, you know? Moodiness and the whole dark thoughts thing is supposed to be our thing. Seeing you this way is just… unsettling.”

Ciana looked over at her roommate and mustered a small smile. “Sorry for taking your thunder.” She said lightly. Emmeranne frowned at her and crossed her arms in front of her, studying the angel in front of her.

The roommates didn’t exactly get off on the right foot when they first met each other, in fact they pretty much hated each other and were constantly at each other’s throats. Ciana very quickly realized that she wasn’t exactly experienced in sharing a space with someone else and realized that her roommate had a really good track record of driving roommates out of the door. The devil tried her best to drive the angel out by staying up late at nights blasting her music at full volume or inviting friends and sometimes f*ck buddies over, while the angel retaliated with waking up early to maximize the side effects of her roommate’s late night lifestyle and throwing open the window curtains to let the full force of the sun hit the demon’s restful form (sometimes even adding a bit of her own touch of light to amp up the effect when she felt she really had a score to settle), or even hogging all the bathroom time prior to classes for herself. Through constant jabbing at each other during their first weeks together, they somehow came to a non-verbal mutual agreement and respect for the other as neither seemed to want to back down on the battle. And in a very odd way came to learn to share their space and found ways to accommodate to each other’s preferences.

The demon took her time to formulate her next words, speaking them slowly and hesitantly. “You know that rumours are common around here right? There’s not much to do here so gossiping is a thing we all engage in to pass time.” Ciana tried to soak in what her roommate had told her, but ultimately didn’t understand what she was trying to get at. She looked at the demon in confusion. The red haired girl sighed, evidently engaging in emotional talk or consolation not being something she’s done lots of. “What I mean to say is, don’t take what others say seriously. They’ll just find someone else to pick on once they get bored of your situation. You just happen to be fresh meat and they’re taking as much advantage of the fact you’re a Seraph’s child that somehow ended up in a bad situation.” She said, flipping her long hair behind her.

Ciana let her message sink in and smiled thankfully at the demon. Despite how much Emmeranne tried to pass off as cold, she was honestly the only one other than Dino that she felt at ease with at the academy.

The angel sighed softly, absentmindedly playing with the necklace around her neck. “Thank you, but it’s not the gossiping that’s on my mind.” Ciana said, looking down at the cup in her hands, the angel only now realizing that it had gone cold.

The demon looked at the girl carefully. “Lucifer?” She finally said, to which Ciana only gave a small nod to. A silence fell over the two before Emmeranne spoke up. “You don’t mean you actually DO know him right? Because that’s just…”

“Unlikely?” Ciana finished for her companion when she struggled to come up with a word. “I know.” Ciana said. And honestly, she was starting to see why it would seem so unlikely for the two of them to have been friends at any point in their lives. The only reason they met each other was because of the friendship between their mothers, and now that Lucifer’s mom was out of the picture and her own mother seemed to never want to mention or talk about her friend anymore, there wasn’t anything tying Lucifer and Ciana together anymore. Maybe their whole friendship had solely been built on circumstance. Maybe Lucifer had come to this realization already, and honestly, he wouldn’t be wrong. She sighed softly before exhaling a huff and getting up from her seat. “Don’t dwell on it, it means nothing anymore.” She said as she headed for her bed. “I think I’ll go to bed now. I’m feeling kind of tired, guess this hot chocolate did its trick.” She said jokingly, placing her almost full cup on the side table before getting into her bed and bidding a good night to her roommate.

The demon stared at Ciana for a while but didn’t say anymore as she turned off the room lights and got into her own bed.

Despite the two staying silent, the both of knew that they were both still awake. And both knew fully well that Ciana was lying.

* * *

Ciana took a deep breath in as she stood in the middle of the open field, opening her wings and setting them free. There was nothing more refreshing to her than the smell of a morning after a rain shower. She had woken up particularly early this morning, partially due to restless sleep from the troubling thoughts about Lucifer that made any sleep impossible, and partially because she didn’t have the energy to confront Emmeranne and her tower of questions just yet. Was this a coward move? Absolutely. She wasn’t proud of it, but she felt she still needed time to process and go through her thoughts before she could answer anyone elses’.

She flapped her wings a couple times to warm them up before kicking off the ground and flying over the clouds. The cool crisp morning wind mixed with the fluffiness of the clouds as she flew through them created a calmness within her that she hadn’t felt since she’d entered the academy. If she could stay amongst the clouds and be free of expectations and scrutiny from everyone forever, she would. The sky was still a rich velvety blue, and the clouds haven’t gotten their beautiful light pink colouring from the sunrise yet. It was still early enough to catch the first few rays of sun, so she flew over to the highest peak she could find and sat down next to a tall rock, bringing her knees to her chest as she waited for dawn to seep in.

She heard some flapping followed by a smooth landing behind her before she turned around to look at the newcomer.

“Ah… didn’t realize this was becoming a favourite spot now…” The male angel said surprised when he finally realized that someone else had been there. He blinked a few times and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, looking away when he caught himself starring at Ciana a while longer than normal. Ciana herself would be lying if she said she didn’t feel anything when her eyes first landed on the male angel, or said she didn’t find him attractive at all. He sported some curled dirty blond hair that was slightly messy from his flight, a nice rich olive tone to his skin, and the greenest eyes she had ever seen.

Ciana shook her head, smiling a bit at his nervousness. “Don’t worry, I’m guessing you’re here to watch the sunrise too?” She asked him.

The male angel smiled, feeling more at ease knowing that she hadn’t been scared off by his entrance. “I don’t know, could be that I had a feeling I would be meeting a beautiful lady this morning.” He joked, smiling at Ciana as she blushed and gave a tiny laugh. “My name is Chase, and you must be Ciana, right?” He asked. She nodded.

“Well Chase, maybe it’s your lucky day, there so happens to be an empty seat left. Would you like to join me?” She asked patting the spot next to her inquisitively. The male smiled and plopped down next to her, a rich combination of cinnamon and pumpkin pie reaching her senses as she took in his energy, warming her up immediately.

“So, what brings you here this fine morning?” The male asked, turning to look at Ciana.

Ciana shrugged. “Needed space to think. What about you, do you come here often?” She asked, glancing at the newcomer.

“I’m just a morning person I guess. It became routine to come here in the mornings just to watch the sunrise.” He turned to look at the angel. “But I guess it’s starting to pay off waking up this early.” He said, a friendly smile spreading on his lips, gaining and eye roll from Ciana. Oh he was definitely a flirt. The female tried hard not to smile at the male’s childish behaviour, but how could she resist when he so effortlessly somehow brought out a happiness in her that she hadn’t felt in forever? It brought out a childishness and lightness in her that she thought was lost long ago after having given up her childhood in order to fit into what everyone else expected from her when her father became a Seraph.

Out in the horizon, the first few rays of sun started peaking through the clouds, lighting the sky a light pink colour as the clouds soaked in the rays, the closest clouds to the sun turning a rich pink tone. The two watched the sunrise in comfortable silence. And despite the two having just met, it felt as if they had known each other their whole lives, and for a moment just by being in his presence, Ciana momentarily forgot all about her worries; about her image, and about Lucifer. It was liberating, and she felt thankful for that small piece of freedom.

She watched Chase focusing on the horizon, a fond smile grazing her lips as she closed her eyes and felt his energy again- warm and orange. And when she opened her eyes again, the world around her was covered in a kaleidoscope of orange colour. The male angel looked confused at the sudden change in colour, but smiled none the less. To anyone else, it might have simply seemed as if there was just a shift in colours, but Ciana knew better.

* * *

Somewhere further away, Lucifer opened his eyes and starred off into the horizon, he was resting against a tree on a hanging cliff not so far off from the academy. He had just gotten back from an overnight trip back from home after his father had summoned him to express his disappointment in his academic advancement after he heard that Dino was starting to get a lead on him. Not only that but the gossip of him getting close to an unclaimed and aiding her had somehow gotten to his father's attention, which apparently called for an extra beating or two. The demon laughed bitterly as he spat some blood onto the ground, clutching at a wound on one of his right ribs. He knew it would heal again, he’s been through this before. But the pain never seemed to lessen. He sighed as he looked up, watching as dawn faded into a full sunrise. As much as he hated being in heaven, he had to admit that the sunrises and sunsets were something to speculate over, back in Hell there was no change in scenery, it was always dark and red, easy for someone to lose track of how much time had passed or hadn’t passed.

Lucifer closed his eyes as a hiss escaped his lips, his wing dripping in blood from overexertion after being slashed at earlier. His breathing intensified as pain jabbed him from all sides. His eyelids started drooping in fatigue, the strength he had left slowly draining out of him, and just when he felt like he would slip away, a warmth washed over him. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw warm orange rays all around him, bathing the demon in sunlight. There was something comforting about the rays that hit him, and in his weak state, he welcomed the feeling without much thought or restrain. And then he heard her, even if it had been years since he last heard it, that laughter had been imprinted in his memory. Through half opened eyes, he spotted the angel flying around the clouds, laughing at something another angel had said to her. The two unaware they were being watched continued their conversation, and truthfully, he’d never seen Ciana smile so brightly before, and it triggered some kind of weird reaction from him. The demon didn’t think much as they passed by the cliff he was on, he had specifically chosen this one to rest on since it had nice covering that kept him well hidden withing some bushed so that no one could catch him in his state. He silently watched them as they passed by him.

He thought he was safe until Ciana suddenly stopped. She frowned and turned around, almost as if she sensed Lucifer behind her, her eyes searching through the bushes before she finally locked eyes with the demon. He couldn’t read the look on her face as she silently took in his bloodied face and battered body, her face full of coldness, and although her eyes were warm, he couldn’t see at all what she thought of him. He suddenly felt vulnerable under her gaze in his current state. Lucifer turned away, glancing at his torn sleeve instead, his heartbeat increasing. What was this girl? Some sort of metal detector? He tried to pull himself together as best as he could, putting on a cold face, trying his best to ignore the stabbing pains on every part of him. He didn’t look up; he didn’t watch to see if the two of them were gone. Silence fell upon him, and then for a long time, nothing. He sighed, slumping down a bit in relief at the thought of being alone again. He didn’t know how long he had stayed there, waiting for his energy to replenish, but when he finally opened his eyes, he realized he had dozed off and he found himself feeling better. Sitting up, he instinctively moved his hand to his wounded rib, expecting to feel an exposed gash, only to frown when he felt an unknown fabric over it. Confused he looked over himself and realized that most of his wounds have been patched up. Now, were they perfect? No, he could tell an amateur did them, but they still were better than what he could have done on himself in his state. He got up, ignoring the pain from the sudden movement, and looked around, searching for whomever had done this for him. But even without physically seeing her, he just knew it was her.

* * *

“I don’t get it, what’s your relationship with Lucifer? You both seemed to know each other on your first day here.” Adi asked her out of nowhere. It was a nice afternoon and the group that Dino had just introduced her to had decided to take a break outside instead of being cooped up indoors. Sammy glared at Adi and threw a grape at his head for being so tactless.

“What? Is it wrong for me to ask? I know that everyone here is dying to know the answer to it as well, I’m just not a whimp like the rest of you to bring it up.” The red head growled.

“You don’t simply ask someone you just met why they have a bad relationship with someone you doof. Could you be any less insensitive?” Sammy retorted. Dino was about to interfere but Ciana stopped him. “No, it’s fine.” She said, feeling that she should step in before things escalated, something she didn’t want to occur within her new group of friends. She wiped a few crumbs off her dress, fairly aware of everyone’s eyes on her, eagerly but patiently waiting for her to speak.

“Short answer, we’ve previously met each other before, but we both seem to have different outlook as to how our encounter had gone.” She addressed Adi simply. It was a short, unconfrontational, and diplomatic answer, one her parents would surely have proudly approved of. Adi definitely wasn’t satisfied with the answer, but before he could say anything else, someone flopped down on the grass next to Ciana, saving her from having to add anything more. “Hey, what’d I miss?” She smiled up at the angel next to her. After they day they met at the cliffs, they had started hanging out together more, and often met up for lunches together.

“Hey Chase, nothing much, just the usual pestering from Adi here.” Sammy explained, welcoming the angel while ignoring Adi’s eye roll. The two quickly reengaged in their usual bickering.

Ciana studied the two for a second, feeling and realizing something. “You two make an adorable couple.” She said absentmindedly. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to the girl with a weird mix of confusion and surprise.

“How’d you figure that out?” Adi asked, slightly taken aback.

Ciana was slow in realizing that she had spoken aloud without thinking. She had been so preoccupied with what she had seen in their energies that she accidentally let her thoughts slip. She looked away, avoiding eye contact. “Huh? What do you mean?” She feigned ignorance.

“You just said that we were a cute couple… None of us mentioned anything to you about our relationship since we met each other 20 minutes ago.” Adi said, looking at the girl suspiciously.

Ciana quickly pasted a smile on her face. “But you guys make it so obvious, you two bicker like a Earthly couple that’s been married for decades.” She said, hoping that her explanation was enough to divert any suspicious they had left. Luckily it seemed that it was a buyable explanation.

Chase chuckled in response. He turned and looked at Ciana, his green eyes sparkling. “If you think this is bickering, you should have seen the two of them when they both started catching feelings for each other, the two were too proud to admit to each other, so they were in a never ending battle jabbing at each other waiting until one of them finally cracked and confessed.”

Soon everything seemed to have been forgotten, and everyone went back to enjoying their friendly conversation over lunch. Glad that everything seemed to have settled, Ciana tried to relax, but couldn’t help but worry about what she’d just seen. She cast a quick glance over at Sammy who was now kissing his lover and felt her heart wrench.

A sudden shout interrupted the friendly chattering the group was having. The group looked at each other in confusion before all getting to their feet and heading to the site of disruption. There near the lake stood a group of demons. At first it seemed they were simply having a loud conversation, but taking a closer look, Ciana noticed that the group was circling around another demon, jabbing and poking fun at them.

“How do you call yourself a demon? Standing up for some unclaimed when they purposely backtalked to a demon? Why do you have to embarrass us all like that, huh? It’s likes like you that make our image seem weaker, why angels thing they’re above us.” A female demon sneered at the individual.

The demon in the middle stayed quiet.

The female who had just jabbed at him clicked her tongue in disgust. “Nothing? Truly, it’s disgusting to be associated with weaklings like you.” She looked around at her group and nodded towards the pond. “Show him how we deal with pathetic ones like him.” She said. At her words, the group went around the individual and started dragging him to the pond.

Sammy sighed in disapproval. “Casey found herself a new victim.” He quietly mumbled.

Despite a clear dislike of what was happening in front of them, the whole group stayed quiet and turned around, heading back to their spot. Ciana starred at them in confusion. “Are we not going to do anything about this?” She asked confused, not tearing her eyes off the demon in the middle, struggling to get away from the group on him.

Adi shrugged. “Look, you’re in a school of demons and angels, you’re bound to walk into a scene like that from time to time, this is simply a thing demons do to make each other stronger. For us showing weakness is looked down upon. Don’t overthink it newbie.” He said, and despite Ciana knowing and appreciating how he tried to calm her down and stay out of trouble, she couldn’t simply stand and watch the whole thing go down.

Without thinking, almost as if she was being drawn in, she headed straight down to the lake, ignoring the shouts from her friends.

“Hey, stop!” She heard herself shout, standing right behind the group of demons.

The leader, Casey, turned around and arched an eyebrow in surprise at seeing who had talked at her. “Seraph’s child… and what do we owe this pleasant surprise to?” She asked, looking Ciana over.

Ciana didn’t say anything, but seeing as how the other demons looked slightly confused and unsure of what to do, she took this as an opportunity and stepped towards the demon being picked on. The followers looked at each other unsure but ultimately let go of the boy, somewhere in their conscious that messing with Ciana wouldn’t end up well for them.

“And why, may I ask, would you bother interfering with a measly demon’s life?” Casey asked, agitation clear in her voice. “Last time I checked angels didn’t seem too intrigued in our ways.”

Ciana helped the boy get back on his feet before turning to the girl. “I just don’t see a reason to belittle someone like this, specially when he’s on your side.” Ciana said cooly. Casey scoffed. “Look here angel, you have no reason to interfere with demon’s affairs. It doesn’t matter what your social standing is, you’re overstepping your boundaries when you interfere with our matters when no one asked for your input.”

Ciana kept her composure. “You’re right in that I have no right in overstepping boundaries when it comes to your matters, me being an angel doesn’t give me the right to say what you consider right or wrong. But I do take it personal when someone only tried to keep peace between our kinds but is unfairly punished for it.” Ciana said. “There’s enough bad blood between our people, the reason why the law of balance exists for us, don’t make it worst by going against your own as well.”

Casey had her arms folded in front of her, her eyes a venomous red as she stared at the angel. Unsurely, a few of her followers looked between the two and made a gesture of wanting to drop the situation as onlookers stopped and started murmuring over what was going on. But everyone could tell that Casey definitely didn’t intent to back down after being put in display like this by some angel. Ciana’s friends were ready to step in and pull her away as the tension rose, but to everyone’s surprise, Casey simply nodded.

“You’re right, it was my bad for making such a scene when Even clearly just had a difference in… opinion.” Casey said, the last word coming off as if it was bitter in her mouth. She turned to her group and cocked her head towards the inner field. “Let’s go, this isn’t fun anymore.” She said, brushing by Ciana and Even as she passed them, quickly casting a glance behind her as she did. Silently, the crowd around them also dispersed as Ciana’s friends rushed up to her.

“That was stupid of you.” Dino growled at her, shaking her by the shoulders. “Just because your father is a Seraph doesn’t give you immunity here.” He said. But despite his angry look, one could tell he was also mildly impressed.

“Guts… You have some guts for an angel.” Adi said appreciatively, turning to look at the demon behind the girl. “So you, why you all quiet? Give this girl a thanks for saving your butt. Not every day you get saved by a badass beauty like her.” Adi said, amused. “Although admittedly I would have enjoyed seeing you being thrown into the lake more.”

“I didn’t need help. I knew what I was doing.” The demon said, slightly agitated. The demon thought for sure that now everyone would look down at him for what just happened. It was humiliating having so many angels surround him as if he were a baby being watched over. He thought for sure this girl was going to mortify him even further by talking to him as if he were some wounded animal, that seemed to be the way angels always acted, as if they were some kind of saints that took pity over the less fortunate. That thought alone made him sick.

The female angel silently studied him, trying to read him. The male demon stared back, doing the same. And then she simply shrugged. “I know.” Was all she said, agreeing with him as if he had just said the most factual thing everyone could agree on.

“You hungry? We were just finishing lunch. Should have some food leftover for you.” She said before leading the group back up the small hill they resided in prior.

The demon looked at her weirdly as they group filled after her, none of them saying any more on the case. Almost as if it hadn’t happened at all. It was almost as if the angel didn’t see him, a demon who had just been at the mercy of some angel to rescue him, as a charity case, but instead almost as an… equal. Part of him wanted to just ditch and leave right there.

The demon hesitantly followed the group, still unsure how he felt about the whole situation. But in the end sat down in an open space next to the only other demon of the group. “My name is Even. Eventide.” He introduced himself hesitantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, thank you for getting this far into the story and for giving this story a chance. This particular chapter I really enjoyed writing even if it caused me some headaches as I tried to piece all the parts together. I'm also aware that some might not find it as interesting to read through, but I'm actually quite proud of how it came out. I really wanted to post this chapter before the new updates came out so I rushed to finish it. I hope everyone enjoys the new updates as well! I'm not sure how long it'll be until I can write and post the next chapter since I have a final to study for, but I'll definitely try to update as soon as I can.  
> -Harmony


	3. Between Times

It was early in the morning, and on any other normal day Lucifer would opt to giving himself some extra sleep time before heading to class. Unfortunately, Geralt had explicitly sent a message to everyone to give themselves extra time to get to class since they would be at the hanging cliffs for their lecture instead of their usual room. The exterior corridors were mostly still empty and unoccupied as Lucifer walked along, the open archways letting sunlight stream effortlessly in, painting the walls and floors a bright yellow. Lucifer’s shadow and footsteps being the only disturbance to the serene atmosphere as he walked along. Reaching the end of the corridor, he saw a few demons idly sitting by one of the arches and gossiping about who knows what. Not paying much mind, he walked along the hallway and headed for the exit.

“-so obviously I told that stupid angel the wrong directions.” He heard one of them say in disgust as he got closer to them.

“Truly what she had coming when she embarrassed you in front of everyone.” Another said.

The first one scoffed, furrowing her eyebrows. “She didn’t embarrass me- she could never. Just because the school thinks so highly of her because of her daddy doesn’t mean anything to me. If she wants to have me on my knees and sucking up to her then she better be Shapha herself.” Lucifer inwardly rolled his eyes. Of course, even at this hour rumours and talks about the angel would follow him, f*cking perfect, as if his morning hadn’t been ruined already. He decided to quicken his pace to rid himself of the talks of the angel.

There was a pause in the conversation as the male demon passed the group by, and despite the group continuing in quieter voices when they thought he was out of earshot, he could still make out what they were saying.

“I mean, even Lucifer himself seemed to have it out for her, and you know how he doesn’t even bat an eye at Dino at times despite his ranking. Did you hear what happened a few weeks ago in the classroom? Guess her great claims at being bestie besties with him when she made her great entrance were purely false. Looks like she thought he would be an easy way for her to gain some name in here.” A red head whispered, the group murmured in response, glancing over at the retreating back of the male demon.

“Then I guess I’m doing both of us a favour by sending her off to the maze instead. Oopsie, guess who won’t be showing up to class today?” The leader said in a mocking manner, her posse erupting into a fit of giggles. At her words Lucifer abruptly stopped. For a second his eyes widened in surprise and his insides seemed to have frozen over. Somehow through his state of shock, his consciousness still managed to pick up that the group was still watching him. Lucifer acted unfazed, but slowed down his steps the slightest bit, just enough to not give the group the impression he was listening in.

Now that he was further away, it became harder to catch what they were saying, but he still managed to catch a word or two. They mentioned something about a dispute the angel had interfered into, and how this was payback. But he didn’t get much more than that as he was now completely out of hearing range.

Out in the open field, the demon blinking a few times, his mind starting to clear up a bit. Remembering he had to meet at the hanging cliffs, he started heading towards its direction, but the majority of him was still mauling over what he had just overheard. With every step he took closer to his destination, the heavier his feet felt and the more clouded his mind became. He took a glance at his watch, noticing there was just enough time to get to class.

His mind obscured, and the last thing he was conscious of doing was taking a right turn instead of a left. If time was passing, he wasn’t aware of it, everything was a blur for him as his feet surged him forward, rationality and thinking thrown out of the window. Then with no recollection as to how or when he had gotten there, he realized he was standing in the open field with a clear view of the entrance to the garden of Adam and Eve. And standing right at the entrance, moving indecisively back and forth unsure of whether to step in or not, stood Ciana. The demon looked down at the ground, taking in short and shallow breaths of air, not having noticed until now that he had sprinted in a hurry to get to the girl.

He frowned at himself. What was he doing? Why did it matter to him if she were to enter into her doom at all? Why did he run all the way here to try and stop her? Wasn’t that something he would have gleefully wanted to happen?

But despite all his complaints and inner turmoil, a feeling of relief briefly overtook him at the sight of her.

At this point the mental fog had eased up and his rationale was kicking back in. He mentally swore at himself. What did he expect to get out of this? This wasn’t his problem- SHE wasn’t his problem. Despite their childhood together, he had no obligation in caring after her. Because of his stupid impulse he would now be late to class, and when his father finally got wind of it, because it was always a matter of time instead of possibility when it came to his father hearing about every single mistake Lucifer caused, he knew he wouldn’t hold back unleashing on him. And worst thing was, he wasn’t sure his father was through with him from the last time they met each other. He had been let go before his father could finish up with him because of a sudden commotion he had to immediately attend to. His hand instinctively went over the newly sealed up wound on his right rib. With newfound resentment filling him, he started turning around to head to the cliffs, trying to ignore the girl that was the root of his problems. But as he tried to take a step back, he just couldn’t.

For the briefest of moments, as he glanced over at the lost angel, her image quickly flickered to an image of the same girl, but her younger version. And a vision of a past memory flashed before him. The young girl with her hand outstretched, reaching out for the young demon, a gentle smile on her face as she tried to calm the younger demon down, reassuring him that everything would be ok. That she wouldn’t leave his side for anything.

Lucifer stood still, watching as Ciana glanced around once more before tentatively taking a step into the garden, just as the ghost of a memory flashed before him, a memory he had completely forgotten about: _That night, while the adults had been too busy to notice their absence, the two had snuck out of Lucifer’s house in the middle of a party being held at his place. The two had just gained their second pair of wings, the ones grown for flight training before they switched over to their more permanent pair. The two of them had eagerly been wanting to try them out in more open spaces but haven’t gotten the chance to yet. Lucifer told her he had overheard Adimiron Winchesto mention the perfect place to train during a conversation he was having with some other demons. Lucifer luckily knew where it was, and with a giddiness for danger, the two ran straight for the open geysers, where a lake of lava stood at the bottom of an open canyon, with a few scattered pieces of floating rock islands floating above the lava. The friends looked at each other as they reached the edge, glancing down at the red-hot lava bubbling and occasionally hissing, releasing hot air up at them._

_Flooded with adrenaline, the demon jumped off the edge first, flapping his wings as hard as he could as he put all his energy on reaching the closest floating piece of land. And with an unceremonious loud thud, he managed to land on it. The young demon brushed off some dirt from his fall and gave a big grin to his friend as he ushered her to follow him. After a brief hesitation, the young angel followed him, spreading her tiny wings and flapping them as quickly as she could muster until her feet completely left the ground, the hot air blowing from under her slightly throwing her off balance. From the very start, her wings strained to keep her afloat, the young angel shakily flapping more than actual flying, but nonetheless managing to land next to her best friend. The two smiled at each other as adrenaline rushed through them, edging them to keep going. As they continued with their game, the kids didn’t realize how the further they continued to fly between the floating rocks, the widen the area between the rocks became, and the closer they got to the core heat source of the river._

_Ciana finally exhausted from the amount of flying she had done, flopped down onto a rock, watching as her best friend continued on, somehow still full of energy. The young angel, feeling some soot on her wings that had accumulated over the span of time she had been flying around the cannon, looked away from her friend for a second to dust off her wings when a sudden explosion occurred, spewing hot air and lava everywhere. The angel screamed as she threw herself to the ground, shutting her eyes as tightly as she could. And just as quickly as the explosion started, it ended. When Ciana finally looked back up, her heart stopped when she couldn’t find her friend anywhere. She quickly got up, eyes wide with fear as she shouted for Lucifer. “Lucy! Lucy where are you?!” Fear quickly spread through the girl, what if he got hurt? Who could help them when no one knew they were out here in the first place?_

_She needed to find him. Tightly clutching her necklace with one hand, she tried to sense her friend’s energy just like how her mom had taught her to do. Ignoring the fear of another sudden explosion occurring, or the fact that the last piece of land she had seen her friend on was beyond any length she had flown over yet, she flapped her wings, determined to do anything to find Lucifer. Her heart pumping rapidly, she tried to ignore the scorching heat that reached her from beneath, instead trying to direct all her energy in locating Lucifer’s energy. Minutes passed, and Ciana started going crazy with worry, her eyes prickling with unshed tears as she tried to not cry just yet, because like Lucy had told her before, crying shouldn’t be done for sadness because it showed weakness, they should be saved for happy moments because those were achieved after great moments of strength._

_And when desperation started to sink in, she finally felt it. A faint maroon aura, one that held potential and resilience, one that was still young and unsure of what it would become but still pulsating with great untapped power- it was an aura that she knew all to well. Finding new strength, she flew as fast as she could towards the source, frantically looking around until she saw him. The young demon had his wings torn in multiple places, his feathers burnt from his proximity to the explosion, and he had blood dripping from the endless scratches and gashes all over his body. Unable to get to the top of the rock because of his torn wings, he tried in desperation to hang onto a small gap on the side of the hanging rock instead. Ciana rushed to him, not caring to slow her fall, and ending up toppling onto the surface of the rock, scrapping her knees and elbows along the way. But she didn’t notice nor cared. She quickly crawled over to the edge and looked down, trying to locate her friend. “Lucifer…” She whispered, scared that anything could trigger him to loosen his grip. “Ciana?” The demon whispered back hopefully. The angel choked back a cry at hearing him. “Lucy, I’m here. I’m going to help you.” She said, looking around to see if there was anything for her to use. There was a silence, and then the demon called out to her in an uneven voice. “Ciana… I… I don’t think I can hang on any longer.” He said. Ciana froze at his words, fearing those would be the last words she ever heard from her friend. She was the weaker of the two, always has been. Up to this point it was always Lucifer that comforted her, the one who always stayed strong for her sake. She had never heard her friend sound so weak before, and it scared her. Ciana took a deep breath, wiping away a few stray tears she hadn’t realized had slipped her. She realized that this time she had to be the stronger one for the both of them._

_Little Cianna leaned over the edge, giving the young demon a reassuring warm smile, holding out her hand for him to grab onto. “I’m here Lucy… I’ll always be here.” Her sweet comforting voice echoed in his memory as he remembered looking into her eyes through his tears, and without hesitation, reaching out for her hand._ And as he reached for the little angel’s hand, his memory faded, and his hand tightly wrapped around someone’s wrist, causing them to turn around and let out a small yelp as the demon pulled them to him, causing them to crash into his chest from the unexpected force. Ciana’s eyes widening as she looked up at him in shock and confusion.

The demon looked down at the girl without saying anything, his red eyes searching her own golden hazel ones. His grip on her tightened when he realized she had just been a few steps away from having entered the maze. If he had gotten to her one second later... He didn't want to dwell on it. And even though his mind told him that would have been a favourable outcome instead, something in him argued the opposite. His heartbeat was still going erratic from the memory he just recalled, his emotions now running haywire within him, confusing the demon as to how to process everything that just happened.

The angel recovered faster than the demon and pulled herself away from him, yanking her wrist free from the demon. “Have you gone mad?” She mumbled defensively, rubbing her wrist. A look of confusion still evident in her face. “You’re making both of us late to class.” She said, turning back around, trying to continue into the maze, but Lucifer instinctively reached for her again, grabbing her wrist once more.

The angel tried to pull back her arm in frustration. “What is it that you want?” She asked him.

That was actually a great question, what did he want from this? Looking the girl over, despite her acting defiant in front of him, Lucifer could sense she was more relaxed in knowing that she wasn’t alone in the garden anymore, that someone else was with her, even if that someone turned out to be Lucifer himself. And that triggered an unfamiliar pang in Lucifer’s heart. He looked away from her. He needed to snap out of whatever black magic had just been thrown at him. He reminded himself that because of her stupid actions and meddling business he had been dragged into her mess, and inevitably will have to face scrutiny from the rest of the demons when they got a hold of what he had done. That he didn’t worry much about, he never cared for what people spoke of him, it was what people would think of his father that worried him. Lucifer’s actions could damage his father’s reputation, and he was fairly aware that there were many higher ups waiting for the right moment to throw him off his throne and take away his power. And as much as he didn’t like him, he was still his father. So instead he let her hand go and turned around, walking towards the hanging cliffs. “Classes are at the hanging cliffs today." He said gruffly.

The girl hesitated, unsure of whether to trust and follow him. "But I was told that classes would be at-"

"The maze?" Lucifer asked, pausing to take a peek at the girl. The girl's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Yes, but how did you know?"

Lucifer looked at her in amusement. "You've been here for two measly weeks and already have the whole group of demons wanting you dead. They sent you to Adam and Eve's maze, once you enter you don't come out." The demon said, enjoying the look of fear that slowly took over the girl's face. "Someone had a death wish for you. Congratulations on an amazing achievement, your highness." He said mockingly, rolling his eyes as he continued on out of the garden."

The two walked through the empty garden in silence, neither one of them knowing what to say as Ciana let the demon's words sink in. She felt her stomach do a weird drop.

The two basked in silence before the girl quietly put a hand on the demon's arm, asking him to stop for a second.

"Lucifer... Thank you for looking out for me. I don't know how to th-"

"Stop." The demon interrupted. "Don't go thinking this changes anything." The demon turned to her, a look of annoyance on his face. "I only stepped in because I came across your stupid situation by accident, don' expect me to do it again. I'll give you some advise here since you're new: Stop meddling in people's businesses and take a good look at how people here actually see you as. You're not f*cking wanted here princess, the only reason people pretend to like you is because of your father. But unlike them I don't give a damn about who you are because I can see right through you and your pretentious tactics. Grow up and read into the situations as it is instead of ignoring the truth with your stupid high and mighty attitude. Maybe then you wouldn't be such a nuisance on others by dragging them into your problems." The demon voiced out in disgust. 

Something snapped within Ciana at Lucifer's words. Instead of cowering before him like Lucifer expected, the girl took a few steps closer to him until only a few inches of space separated the two, and glared at him. Fire burning in her own eyes. "You think I don’t notice the way people look and talk to me?” She hissed back, jabbing him on the chest with her finger. “I wish I really weren’t that attentive to how others perceived me, that I’d grown indifferent to their talks like you have… but truth is, I'm not you! I notice it all. I'm not ignoring what is being said at all Lucifer, I'm trying to seem unfazed for my parent's sake! I had to quickly adapt to all this attention, all this respect that in reality is just hidden fear and hidden plots… And the only way I know how to handle all this stupid attention is by pretending it doesn't bother me at all! It's all fake- I'm fake! I just hoped that YOU out of all people would understand where I'm standing. Your dad, my dad- our situations... I just... never mind." She said bitterly, frustration not letting her finish her sentence.

The demon growled. Instead of being taken back by her words, they only angered him further. "Don't you dare ever compare yourself to me. Because of your stupid mistake, and the way you so handle situations, here I am, about to take the stupid fall!" He hissed at her. 

"I never asked you to do that for me!" Ciana retaliating, the fire in her eyes flickering. "I didn't ask you to come save me, to get in trouble for me! Because trust me, I'm fairly aware that you'd gladly watch me die in front of you since I mean that little to you. I know exactly how much you despise me, I know exactly how f*cking much you want me out of your life every single time I look into your eyes..." She yelled, chocking up a bit as tears started pooling on her waterline. She wiped at them angrily, frustration eating at her for showing weakness to the demon. "And here I am being stupid and naive still wishing we could go back to how things were because you were the best part of my life, when everyone knows that it's stupid- everyone except f*cking me." She cried out, her chest rising unevenly as she stared at the demon.

Silence followed her words, and the girl teared her eyes away from the stunned demon and turned around, taking in a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down. She never was one for confrontation, she never raised her voice nor truthfully voiced out to anyone whatever bothered her. She'd never let out how much her separation from Lucifer had affected her all those following years. But all the pent-up frustration and series of events from the last couple of weeks finally caught up to her and she couldn't hold back any longer. She quietly brushed off the last of her tears and straightened herself up, plastering on a face of composure.

The two in the middle of their argument had unknowingly reached the base of the hanging cliff they were expected to be at, distant chattering barely reaching them from where they were standing.

"We shouldn't be seen entering together, it wouldn't be good being associated with each other." The angel said stiffly after a few seconds of silence, her back still turned to the demon. "Should I go first or you?" She asked.

When she didn't get a response, she simply nodded before opening her wings and flying a few feet up towards the cliff before she paused midair, hesitating a bit with her words. "For today... Thank you. But let's make it clear that I don't ever expect anything from you here onward. I don't want to owe you anything." She said before finally flying away. Lucifer watched her form slowly become smaller and smaller until she reached the cliff. The demon tore his eyes away from her form and clenched his jaw tightly.

* * *

"What a complete surprise... Seraph's child thinks she'll all high and mighty compared to her mere angel and demon classmates and decided to come to class late... My my, you higher up kids seriously need to be kicked down a peg or two." Geralt said imperiously with his arms crossed over his chest, assessing the female angel in front of him as she looked down at the ground in shame. A group of demons consisting of Casey and her friends snickered in amusement at the sight of the angel getting called out in front of everyone.

"May I know the reasoning as to why you're late? Or should I assume you don't take me or the academy seriously enough because we're below your level?" Geralt sneered at the angel, causing her to flinch at his tone. But she kept quiet. What was she going to say? That her classmates set her up because of some stupid petty revenge? No, there was no point in causing more conflict with them than there already was.

"Nothing?" The professor asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl in questioning. The angel tightly bit her bottom lip and shook her head. The demon assessed her in silence for a few more seconds before sighing. "Fine, have it your way. You're to have detention with me after class and-" But the demon never got to finish as he got interrupted a black and red figure as it landed loudly in between the professor and the angel, sending dust flying in every direction.

"Lucifer, what is the meaning of this?" The older demon hissed in displeasure as he dusted himself off after he finally got a good look at the man in front of him. But the younger man just shrugged and closed his wings. "I'm here, aren't I?" He asked, staring at the older man without care. Geralt growled at the red-eyed demon before him. "You're not off the hook either young man. Don't think I didn't notice your absence either." He said menacingly. "Your father would be heavily displeased at hearing you're late once again." He said. But the younger male didn't seem to care.

"Go ahead, tell him. Tell him I'm being unfairly punished because of some stupid prank some students decided to pull." He said, looking over the crowd until his eyes landed on Casey and her group of demons at the back, indirectly calling them out. The group stared at each other uneasily and tried avoiding Lucifer's piercing gaze. "The angel here is only late because she was helping me." He said, turning back to Geralt. "So if you must punish someone for our lateness, let it be me." He said cooly.

The whole class stopped and stared at the demon in shock. Was Lucifer sincerely taking blame for an angel?

Ciana looked up at the demon in utter shock. What was he doing? She tried to catch his eye but the demon ignored her, continued his eye contact with their professor.

Geralt raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You want to take responsibility for Ciana's tardiness?" Lucifer cocked his eyebrow and smirked at the older demon. "I knew you were getting old Geralt, but I didn't think you'd lose your hearing this soon." The older demon didn't even react to the younger's poke. He studied the two students before him before sighing and waving them away. "Alright, Ciana as this is your first offence I'll let it go this time since Lucifer vouched for you. Just don't let this become a habit." He said dismissively. "Lucifer, you on the other hand, let's have a talk after class."

Ciana quickly stepped up between the two. "Professor, please, Lucifer did nothing wrong. I-" She started pleading, but Lucifer pulled her behind him before she could finish. "Yes sir." The demon said simply before pulling the girl with him through the crowd, heading to an empty spot to the side. The demon deliberately making a scene of him holding onto the angel; making a message clear to everyone there- that no one messed with Ciana from now on.

As the angel tried breaking free from his hold, the demon's energy seeped into her, showing her a fragment of a vision: _She_ _saw red, lots of red. Her senses were overwhelmed by the smell of blood and the loud screams of pain, the sound of heavy chains dragging across cement floor. "Father..." She heard Lucifer's voice choke out before another flash of red covered her vision, and then- nothing._

The girl blinked away at her vision, turning to look at the demon next to her. "What are you doing? Lucifer please, I can't let you take the blame for my problems!" She hissed desperately. "Your dad... I- no I can't let you do that." She said frantically as she tried to free herself from the demon, trying to get to her professor to clear up the misunderstanding. But the demon only tightened his hold on her. "Stop." He hissed. "Your whining will only worsen the situation." He said, forcing her down to sit as Geralt continued where he'd left off before the two had dropped in.

"Sit down and don't do anything. I'll handle whatever comes." He paused before continuing. "You told me you didn't want to be indebted to me, well neither do I. Take this as a repayment from last time for your help back at the cliff." He said, not looking at the girl as he spoke. The angel sat in stunned silence as she processed what the demon told her. Had he actually known this whole time it was her that attended to his wounds? Ciana wasn't sure of what to make out of everything, so she sat in silence for the rest of the duration of the class.

Unknown to the two of them, this marked the start of a new beginning for them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading up to this point <3 I hope you enjoyed the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any questions or suggestions please leave them down in the comments! Have a beautiful day  
> -Harmony


	4. Part of Each Other Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we start, I just want to say thank you so so so much for the endless love and support you have all shown to me and my writing. I'm really sorry that I've been gone for so long, and sorry for making everyone wait so long for the new chapter. I unfortunately had to focus my full time and energy into my final season at school, so I had to put writing on the side. I started writing the new chapter as soon as I finished my last test, and had many, many ideas for this specific chapter, so I had a hard time condensing everything and making sure the ideas flowed for the following chapters as well. I'm sadly also a perfectionist when it comes to my writing, so I had to scrap and restart this specific chapter at least half a dozen times. By the time I was happy with the end result, I ended up with 14 pages of writing on Word. I thought that might be too heavy for a chapter, so in the end I split it into two chapters. I do hope you enjoy this two chapter special. Enjoy your day!  
> P.S. I realize that there's a lot of Ciana/Chase parts in these two chapters, but sincerely, from what I know of the story, their relationship is quite important to how Ciana's character will develop in the future.  
> -Harmony

True to his words, Lucifer took full responsibility for causing the two to be late to Geralt's class. Both the demon and angel knew what that meant for Lucifer, but despite that, the demon kept his promise; he didn't let the girl interfere in his matters involving his father at all, regardless of how fiercely the girl stood her ground, asking him to take her with him to explain what really happened, telling him she was capable of putting up with whatever consequences would come to her. It was a commemorable effort, but there was still no way Lucifer would let her go with him. Lucifer easily ignored her and stepped into the portal that his father had then materialized in front of him, summoning him home. Lucifer closed the portal behind him before the girl had a chance to react, making sure she wouldn't follow. Despite the angel anxiously wanting to follow after him, concerned about how bad things could go, she was also aware that interfering would only make matters worst for Lucifer. So instead Ciana silently waited for his return by the cliffs she found him on the other day.

Hours passed, each passing hour filling the girl with more and more worry as she continuously watched the empty skies. She watched as midday turned to noon, which soon turned to night without a trace of the demon. It was nearly midnight when Ciana finally caught sight of the demon flying over the horizon. Without saying anything, she stood up and waited for him to catch sight of her, her white dress and wings seemingly a beacon of light against the black night sky. And for some reason, without a fight or resistance, the demon flew to her. As Ciana has foreseen, the demon got a heavy beating from his father after hearing about what had happened. She tried her best to keep a straight face as she took in his wounds. She'd never been subjected to this much violence in her life, but she tried her best to not let emotions show through, not wanting to look weak for what the demon had taken and endured for her. The angel was thankful for what the demon had done, and felt grateful for the way he followed through with his words. It was a trait that the girl always admired about the demon since they were young, and it touched and warmed her heart knowing that hadn't changed even if everything else had, which only made her feel more guilty for bringing him into her problems. When he finally sat down next to her, the angel wordlessly started treating to his wounds with the material she'd gathered for him. Neither spoke a word, and neither mentioned anything about the situation, but in the silent night sky, both silently acknowledged that there was no fighting it. Whether they liked it or not, the two had become part of each other's lives again.

After the events that occurred between the two, they were at an awkward stage where they didn't know what to label themselves as. Ciana knew they both felt there was a thin line between them that if not threaded through carefully enough when facing future situations involving the other, that it could easily trigger an unwanted conflict and unwind any amendment and peace they had formed- and that was a line Ciana didn't want to test anytime soon. They couldn't be called friends, but Ciana didn't think they were enemies of any form either. It was a weird unique place they stood with each other, no one knew what it was or how it worked, but they both went along with it, somehow making it work. Somehow in the following weeks the two had unknowingly fallen into a new normal that unintentionally involved each other. The empty seat next to Lucifer's had inadvertently become Ciana's and no one questioned it, on mornings they had classes together, the angel would meet the demon midway on their way to their lectures, Lucifer every time rolling his eyes and mockingly making fun at the angel as she constantly fumbled trying to walk in her half-awaken state. There were days where Ciana would pull up a chair and read in silence together with the demon at the library, others where Lucifer would join her on her afternoon flights, endings with both of them sitting on their personal cliff and watching the nightfall together in silence. They never talked much, nor engaged in personal talking, just simply sat and watched the night sky in each other's presence. Although the two had become intertwined in some aspects, the majority of their personal lives stayed the same to what they were before the incident.

Ciana closed her eyes as she stretched her arms over her head, letting the warmth of the morning sun wash over her and wake her up as she slowly walked over to the training field for class. Today was one of those odd days where Lucifer and Ciana had different morning classes. Although both were pretty close in age and the two could be considered on the same level with their studies, Ciana was behind on combat training due to lack of experience from her years away from the school. When she reopened her eyes, she caught sight of a white winged figure she hadn't seen in a while sitting under the shade of a willow tree.

"Hey stranger." Ciana greeted Dino, giving him a warm smile as she took a seat on the grass in front of the angel, rubbing at her eyes in an attempt to get rid of her fatigue. "Where have you been lately? You haven't joined us for lunch the last few days, and we haven't seen you around much either... Chase and I were starting to get worried thinking your father had you captive- he even threatened to break into your father's room and demand for your freedom if we didn't see you anytime soon." She said animatedly. But her smile faltered when the male angel didn't respond to her, instead continuing to read the book in his hands as if he hasn't heard her at all. Her smile slowly turning into a frown. "Dino, are you ok?" She asked concerned, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder only to have the male angel roughly shrug her hand away, causing the female angel to flinch back, taken aback by his startling action.

"Dino?" She questioned quietly, unsure of what was happening, hurt clearly showing on her face by the reception from the male angel. A strained silence bell upon the two. Dino didn't say anything, keeping his gaze on the book- not bothering to even throw a glance at the girl. As Ciana tried to think of way to approach this unprecedented situation, a figure appeared behind her, interrupting her.

"We'll be late if you stay here." A bored voice called to her, but the girl ignored it. Ciana's eyes didn't leave the angel's face, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was causing his cold attitude towards her. There was a sigh from the newcomer before she got abruptly pulled off the ground and thrown over their shoulder, taking her away from Dino before she could figure out a way to talk to him. "What are you doing?" She hissed, kicking at her assailant as she tried to free herself, feeling onlookers glancing and pointing their way.

"Stay still, you're not as light as you think you are." The person complained, wincing slightly as the girl's kicks became wilder. Ultimately, the angel got rudely thrown off the stranger's shoulders, painfully falling on her rear end, her hair completely disheveled from having hung upside down during her scuffle. Due to their rude attitude, Ciana expected to see her childhood friend standing in front of her, which was why the female angel was taken aback by who she saw instead.

"Oh, Even... I didn't expect to see you." Ciana said, wincing as she tried to get herself up, picking out leaves and grass that had gotten stuck to her dress when the demon had ruthlessly dropped her. "I thought you were someone else... Should have realized it wasn't when I didn't pick on his energy." She said absentmindedly, looking around her trying to make out where the demon had taken her.

The demon stared at her quietly as she tried to orientate herself again. "The angel- Don't try to get him to talk, he's obviously avoiding seeing you at all." He said in a bored manner, crossing his arms in front of him as he leaned against the trunk of a tree, looking down at the angel as she finished fixing her hair. Ciana glanced at the blue haired demon, frowning. "You noticed it too? Wonder what that was all about... I've never seen him so closed off before." She sighed, deflating a bit as she thought back to the cold shoulder he'd given her. The demon shrugged, as if it were simple. "You've been getting closer to Lucifer lately, Dino and Lucifer don't have a good history with each other as you know. Angel boy must see it as you indefinitely picking Lucifer's side, so he sees no reason for you to need him anymore." He said, turning around and walking down towards the field. The angel hesitated for a bit before following after him. As they walked down the small hill, she let the demon's words sink in, did she really drive Dino away because she started picking up her friendship with Lucifer? Those weren't her intentions at all, as much as she liked having a part of Lucifer back in her life, it didn't sit well with her if it meant that she'd lose the first friend she made in the academy. Dino had been a support system to her that she heavily relied on in her first few weeks here, and she didn't want to lose that.

"I'm not picking sides..." She said in a small voice hesitantly. The demon didn't say anything, as if he'd expected the girl to say those exact words. But at least that's what Ciana truly thought. She had obviously heard about the feud between the two men, it was impossible to not come across talks about the two every now and then, and when talking with either of the two, she'd heard both of them mention the other dismissively, but she'd never thought that her getting back on talking terms with Lucifer would make it seem as if she was picking sides. The whole situation was frustrating, it was as if every time she managed to mend and fix a part of her new life, something else would end up breaking instead.

"Things weren't this trivial back home..." She quietly mumbled to herself as they descended the small hill, kicking at a small pebble inattentively while lost in her thoughts. The demon stopped in his tracks at her words, slowly turning to look at her. His gold flecked grey eyes hardening. The pebble skirted to a stop at the demon's foot, bringing the girl's attention to the blue haired man who was standing a bit ahead of her down the hill. His harsh look snapping the girl back to reality.

"Evan...did I say something wrong?" She asked hesitantly, slowing her steps so that she stood eye to eye level in front of Even. She carefully looked into his eyes trying to read into what he was thinking, but only coming out at a blank. Just like the first time they met, she was never able to get to the demon's thoughts. The demon's jaw tightened but finally looked away. "Nothing. Just that home wasn't that happy of a place for me. Both family and home... Those words don't have that good of a meaning attached for me." He said in a tone that made it clear he didn't want to continue on with the topic. The two continued down the hill in silence until they came into view of their classmates that were idly waiting for classes to start.

Some demons caught sight of Even and calling him over across the field. The demon nodded at them before turning to the girl. "I'll... see you later then." He said, heading to his group. But got stopped by the angel as she placed a hand on his arm, signaling him to wait.

"Hey Even... Back there, I know you said home didn't mean happiness for you, and I won't pretend to understand how you feel, but I know that family doesn't always mean you have to be blood related- If you ever need someone, know that I'm here... the other day, when Chase said you were like a brother to him, I felt that way too. I'll be your family if you need me to be- we both will be." She said earnestly. Although the two angels had a rough start with the demon at first, trying to find even footing between the three, they had gotten more and more used to each other's presence the more time they spent together. Chase was the exact opposite of Even, both on a moral and personal level, and they often got under each other's skin, but that was what made their dynamic so much more unique. Chase at one point even pointed out he felt like they had a sibling like love-hate relationship going, and Ciana couldn't agree more. Despite how different Ciana and Evan were, she always felt connected to him somehow, she always felt a sense of need to protect him like on the day they met. 

The demon looked at her, the corner of his mouth slowly turning into smile. "It's interesting... the words you use. I'll keep that in mind- Ciana." He said, taking the girl aback in surprise. Not once since they've met each other had the demon ever acknowledged her with her name. A smile appeared on the girl's face as she watched the demon walk away.

* * *

Ciana wasn't new to utilizing her powers, she knew what powers she had, she knew how to control and knew how to trigger it to appear. But for some reason, she was having a hard time controlling it today. That had never been the case with her before. Even thought she lacked in training against others, and didn't have as much practice as others her age, she still went through training at home, and she never felt like she lacked power at all. Her training teacher actually even pointed out to her that she probably had too much power within her, so why was she having such a hard time bringing it out today? The girl grunted as she picked herself up from the ground again for the fourth time, a deep cut from her fall prominent on her cheek.

"What's the problem angel? Tired?" The demon she was partnered with gloated at her, flapping her wings in amusement as she summoned another small tornado on the palm of her hand. When the angel didn't answer, the demon sighed as she pointed at a point under Ciana, where a tornado started forming around her, blowing at her from all directions, making it harder for the angel to stay upright. Ciana gritted her teeth and tried to focus all her strength into bringing out her power, straining to keep still against the powerful wind as she simultaneously tried to reach her powers from within her. She looked into herself, searching for her energy, desperately trying to block out everyone else's energies around her.

The loud laughs from her partner reached her, momentarily breaking the angel's focus. "Now I know why Seraph's children barely join the academy, they clearly are nothing in comparison to their parents. So embarrassing... no wonder they keep you locked up at home to keep their image intact." The demon gloated gleefully, her words snapping something within the angel, filling the girl with rage and resentment. With great difficulty, a glowing golden aura started shining through her as she got onto her feet, enveloping the girl in a golden glow. As she opened her eyes, her irises became just as bright and golden as her aura, and with gritted teeth and a newfound focus, the held her hands in front of her and with a strained shout built a blinding golden shield around her, filling the field in golden light as she blocked the heavy blows of wind directed at her.

The field filled with stunned silence as the blast of light stopped everyone amidst their training. Ciana glanced over at the demon in front of her, who looked at the angel with a look of shock. And that look triggered something within Ciana. The angel's eyes became steely and cold as she stared right into the demon's eyes, looking into her energy, soaking it into herself. She felt the demon's energy trickling into her veins, mixing with her own. Without realizing or being aware of what was happening, the girl started floating above the field, her wings not moving, sitting idly flush against her back.

The angel was now floating well above everyone below her as they stared at her in stunned silence, her vision momentarily filled with grey energy before the angel suddenly felt all her energy leave her, her eyes rolling backwards as she felt herself free-falling towards the ground before losing complete consciousness...

...

"Hey Ciana..." Someone whispered softly at her, their voice distorted as she starting coming back to her senses. Ciana didn't know how long she'd been out for, all she knew was that her whole body ached as she tried to open her eyes. "Ciana...please wake up. Don't make me blast you with lightning to wake you." The person's worried voice reached out to her again. Ciana automatically smiled, immediately recognizing the energy around her even without having to see them. Ciana lightly opened her eyes and looked into the green eyes of the worried angel above her, raising her hand to softly place it over the hand he'd placed on her cheek. "Hey Chase... I don't recall those mortal stories going about with the prince saving the princess with a lightning strike... wasn't it supposed to be a true love's kiss that saved the princess?" She joked softly. Chase let out a relieved sigh as he pulled the girl to him, hugging her tightly. "Those mortals didn't have their priorities set straight, clearly blasting someone with lightning is more likely to bring someone back than a kiss." He joked, his voice muffled as he pressed a soft kiss onto her cheek. Ciana punched him on the chest, laughing. "No wonder you're no prince." She said. The male angel's smile slowly faded as he pulled back to look at the girl, looking at her seriously. "Jokes aside, how are you feeling?"

Ciana sighed. "Definitely a little sore, I feel like I've been knocked over by a rock giant..." The male looked at her in worry as he brushed a stray hair away from her face. "Do you recall what happened?" He asked softly. Ciana slowly shook her head. "Just... having such a hard time getting to my powers, then finally being able to get to them, then being above the field... and then falling. I remember falling..." She looked over at the angel. "Wait, where are we? And the fall...I don't feel anything broken...did you catch me?" She asked confused. Chase slowly shook his head, his face becoming stony before a look of regret replaced it. "We're at the infirmary, we took you here to rest after your incident. When you fell I wasn't on the field when it happened... It was actually-" But before they could get deeper into the conversation, Fencio flung open the curtain that gave the two privacy from onlookers. "Ciana, I'm glad to see you're doing better. You must be exhausted from your...practice today. I talked to your other professors and they all agreed it would do you better to take the rest of the day off." The professor told her as he side eyed Chase. "I'll inform your parents as soon as I escort you to your room-". But the girl stopped him before he could finish his sentence. "No need professor! It wasn't anything major, I just overexerted myself, please don't burden my parents with this...You know how busy they are." She begged the professor, giving him her most convincing face. After studying her for a while the professor finally sighed. "Fine, I'll keep it from them this once. Don't expect me to keep covering for you." He said before heading for the door, but not before turning around and glaring at Chase. "You, on the other hand. Don't you have a class to attend to?" He asked pointedly. He put up a hand to stop Chase before he could speak. "If you get Ciana to her room safely, I'll pretend I didn't see you." He said, throwing her a fatherly look before leaving through the doors. The two angels waited until the professor was out of earshot before they both burst out in laughter. "You weren't kidding when you said that Fencio would do anything as long as you brought up your parents." Chase said through his laughter as he helped the girl get off the bed, making sure she wasn't going to fall.

The angel's strength was starting to come back and she no longer felt as if her body had been thrown off a cliff. The two walked through the infirmary wing, where through the stained glass Ciana could see that it was close to noon.

"I was thinking...seeing as we both seem to be free today, I was wondering if I could sneak you out for a little while tonight?" Chase asked Ciana, wrapping an arm around her to help support her. And even without turning around, she could see his goofy smile playing on his lips. She turned around and looked up at the angel's face, tapping a finger to her chin, playfully faking considering his invitation. "Hmm... I'm not sure, are you implying for me to break curfew and to sneak out with a boy?" She asked. Chase raised an eyebrow in amusement but lowered his hands, wrapping them carefully around the female angel's lower back and pressing her softly to him, causing her heart rate to quicken as her cheeks took on a rosy colour. "But why would you want a boy when you have a prince right in front of you?" Chase asked, poking fun at her for calling him a prince earlier. Ciana lightly punched him on the chest, laughing. "Oh, then it's a definite no." She said, ducking under his intertwined hands and running away, laughing as she turned around to see his reaction.

"Oh? Is that so?" The male angel asked, giving the girl a mischievous look. Ciana shrieked, hiding behind one of the columns in the hallway, laughing as Chase tried to come around and catch her as she averted him. Ciana stuck out her tongue at him mockingly as she turned around, ducking under his outstretched arms. But Chase foresaw her move and instead hugged the girl by the waist, pressing her against his chest as he held her up, not giving her an escape route.

"Alright, alright. I'll go." She laughed, smiling at the man holding her. "But I better not get in trouble for this." She warned, affectionately brushing off a stray strand of hair out of his face.


	5. Meaning of Happiness

She should have known that sneaking out at night with someone that made you effortlessly laugh 99% of the time from happiness just by being in their presence wasn't the quietest nor the most incognito way to go through with things. Of course Ciana was nervous at the start, sneaking out was something she wasn't particularly experienced at. But the moment she saw the male angel, all her fears disappeared, and she let the night carry them wherever it wanted them to go, and in this case, being chased down the school halls in the middle of the night in the dark by a supervising professor seemed to be it. She should have felt scared, should of felt guilty about sneaking around when all her life she'd been taught to only follow rules. But with Chase, she always felt as if she was finally free, as if she had all this freedom at her hands- his presence brought out the inner child out of her that had been restrained and locked up within her her whole life, the inner child that had their childhood taken away from such an early age that she didn't recall having it at all. Chase was an escape from her real life to her, something she always longed for deep down, but never truly knew what it meant or how much she wanted it until she met Chase.

Ciana suppressed a laugh as she ran down the hallways, childish giddiness threatening to burst from her. The moonlight streaming through the windows casting their running shadows on the wall, almost as if it was telling a fairy tale story of two lovers running away from evil. Chase raised an eyebrow at her in amusement. "Enjoying this aren't you?" He asked, laughing as he grabbed her hand and lead her around a corner. Ciana let out an airy laugh. "You're the one that dragged me into breaking the rules." She retaliated, gripping onto his hand tighter.

"I will catch whoever you are! You can't run from me!" They heard their professor's voice boom across the empty hallway, echoing against the walls.

The two suppressed another fit of laughter as they climbed the steps to the floor above them. Turning a corner, Chase pulled Ciana to him, pressing their backs to the wall as he signaled for her to be quiet. They both held their breaths as the professor's footsteps reached the landing to their floor, where there was a brief pause as he tried to sense where the two had gone but having a difficult time as he wasn't familiar with their energies yet, and then the continuation of loud footsteps across the stone floor heading the opposite side of their hiding place. The two angels sighed in relief when the last of his footsteps were heard. Ciana closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the sensation of her heartbeat quickly pumping against her chest. She hadn't felt this carefree and liberated in so long.

She was happy, being with Chase made her happy. When she opened her eyes again, she was met with a pair of curious alluring green eyes looking into her golden hazel ones. The owner of those dazzling eyes that were quickly taking over Ciana's heart smiled down at her with a look full of adoration as he delicately leaned closer to her, slowly closing the gap between them. The moonlight streaming through a domed window above them bathed them in white light, almost as if the two had a spotlight of their own, and they were the only two individuals in the whole world. Ciana's heartbeat quickened as her breath caught in her throat. She locked eyes with him, both unable to breathe as they came tentatively closer to each other, both following what their hearts wanted and desired. And then, their lips locked. It was sweet, everything about the kiss and the way Chase caressed her made her feel as if she were floating. Electricity and sparks flourished all over her body, tingling her with excitement as the sweet scent of the male angel engulfed her senses. Her hands tightly clung to his shirt as she sighed into the kiss, pulling him closer to her. Chase groaned against her as she lightly bit his lower lip. "Ciana, you're absolutely stunning." He moaned into her mouth, one of his hands resting on the wall next to Ciana's head, the other tightly holding onto her hip. Chase kissed her passionately, making the girl gasp in pleasure as he bit her back. Lost in each other, happiness overtaking every part of their thoughts. They completely forgot about where they were or the fact they were currently runaways. Nothing mattered to them as they held each other. Soon, Ciana finally broke away, gasping for air she didn't know her lungs were begging her to take. Chase wrapped his arms around the girl protectively, pressing her against his chest and he softly brushed her disheveled hair, sighing in satisfaction. Ciana looked up at the male angel affectionately, placing a small kiss to his nose as she smiled at him. Chase started opening his mouth to say something, but got interrupted by loud footsteps echoing across the empty halls.

They both froze in their spots before Chase finally snapped out of it and pulled the girl across the hall. The girl tightly gripped his hand as she let him lead her. She turned around to take a look behind her when suddenly she tripped, losing her grip on Chase along the way. The girl grunted as she quickly got herself back up, trying to make out her surroundings in the pitch black of the night. Her heart sank as she realized she no longer felt Chase's energy. Looking up she saw that the direction they were heading to split into two hallways, which one Chase had gone to, she wasn't sure. But before she could consider which to take, the professor's voice rung out to her. "I can sense one of you... Just wait until I get my hands on you." They grunted. Ciana without taking a chance, took to the left hallway, running ahead without stopping. All Ciana was aware of was her heart pumping at such high intensity and so loudly that it made her wonder if her traitor heart would be what would eventually give her away. 

Ciana shrieked as she bumped into a solid form, causing her to lose her balance and fall onto them, taking them down with her. She groaned as she tried to pull herself back up. "Wish they taught us how to not trip over our two feet instead of stupid etiquette classes..." Ciana complained. The girl squinted in the dark, rubbing at a soon to be bruise on her knee. A rustle off to the side cause the angel to freeze in fear as she realized the figure she had toppled over had been someone else. The angel tried to get on her feet, but only managed to get more tangled with the person under her. "F*cking... why must all meetings with you end up in such painful ways?" The figure grunted. The girl blinked a few times, realizing she knew that voice from somewhere. Her eyes widened when it finally dawned on her who she had toppled over. "Lucifer?" She asked.

The demon groaned as he sat up, looking at the girl in distaste. "Seriously? Must you go knocking people down as if you were some f*cking ram?" He grunted as he rubbed at his head, glaring at the angel. "Your thick skull definitely could pass as one though." He added as an afterthought as he grunted, displeased at her. Ciana winced at his roughness, but as she reached out to check on him, faint footsteps making their way down to their position echoes across the corridor. Ciana froze in terror. She quickly turned to the demon, who was still cradling his head. "We need to go, now." She urged him, quickly getting up and trying to get the demon to do the same. He grunted in protest. "What are you doing?" He asked annoyed. But Ciana ignored him, pulling him by the arm as she looked around in a hurry for a hiding spot. All the doors around them were locked, and definitely would be places the professor would check into, so they were out of question. They were at the top floor of the school, and as far as she knew, there wasn't any escape route above them, and the stairs were behind the professor so they would have to pass him in order to get to them. Just as she started running to her last option, she saw it. Moonlight softly outlined a hatch up above them etched in the ceiling. "Perfect." Ciana muttered as she softly flapped her wings and rose to the ceiling, a small latch hanging loosely to the side. The angel pushed at it and moved the panel to the side. The demon looked up at her in confusion. But didn't get to say anything as the girl urged him to follow her in. The demon sighed and followed her, closing the opening once the two were safely inside.

"You know they can sense our energies right? Whoever it is you're hiding from." The demon said wearily, taking a seat on the floor with his back against a wall, looking at the agitated angel in amusement. "There's no use trying to hide, they'll find you eventually."

"Sense..." The angel frowned thinking over the word, but slowly shook her head. "No, no they can't..." She replied softly.

The demon looked at her wearily. "You know the first thing they teach us is to read energies right? Pretty sure professors would be experts at noticing energies around them by now. Catching students wandering in the middle of the night is just a-"

But Ciana stepped up to him before he could continue, pushing him against the wall as she closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his own, her soft locks cascading down over the two of them; the scent of warm vanilla, honey, and the ocean on a warm day reaching the demon's senses as she leaned against him. The demon's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you-?" But the angel put a finger to her lips, telling him to be quiet. Unsure of what to do, the demon stiffened but did as told. And in her embrace, her energy completely engulfed the demon's senses, overwhelming him. He felt himself losing himself in it, and as he got deeper into her energy, another sensation slowly crept in, mixing in with her other scents. It was very dim...almost unreachable. Confused, the demon tried focusing onto the new sensation, trying to grasp at it. It was something that completely offset her sweet scents, it was something... enchanting and bewitching. And just as he finally got close to it, for some reason, as if a switch had been turned off, he couldn't sense the angel's energy around him anymore; the same one that had overtaken all his senses just a second ago was now completely gone. He looked at the angel in confusion, completely at a loss for words. 

"What... What happened? What did you do?" He questioned roughly.

Ciana looked uncertainly at him. "I... momentarily blocked our energies." She mumbled quietly. The demon stared at her without blinking, unable to register what he'd heard. "You what?"

The girl sighed, slumping a bit, biting down on her lower lip. "I momentarily blocked our energies from emitting from us, making us untraceable, that way we can't be detected." She mumbled, glancing over to the trap door, trying to see if she could sense the professor's energy anywhere near them. The demon looked at her in surprise when his eyes roamed down to her right hand, where she had it tightly pressed against the demon's chest when she used it as support when she focused on turning their energies off. From the unexpected action of the angel, the demon had lost his balance when the angel roughly pushed to him, and had taken both of them down as they slid to the ground, her body now laying over his own. Only then did it dawn on both of them how close they were to each other. Their eyes locked onto each others in static silence as they studied each other. _Were her eyes always this bright?_ Lucifer found himself asking as he felt himself getting lost into her eyes.

As if broken from a trance, Ciana's eyes widened and immediately got off the demon, turning to awkwardly look around the room.

Lucifer sat up straighter, smirking at the angel. "What? Is touching a man's chest too indecent for her highness? Are you that flustered about physical contact with me?" He asked mockingly, blinking away at the image of her alluring eyes, ignoring the pounding of his own heart. The angel rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Get off your high horse, Lucifer. You're not everyone's type." The girl said annoyed. At her words, the demon became silent, but ultimately let out a laugh. "Oh, but I'm everyone's type, your highness. I can show you if you'd let me." He said, the corner of his lips pulling upward in a taunting manner. But seeing as she wasn't going to joke back with him, he sighed, redirecting them back to the topic at hand. "I thought your powers had to do with sunlight? When did manipulating energies become a thing?" He asked, straightening the lapels of his shirt.

Ciana shifted pensively, absentmindedly looking around the room for a place to sit. "Sunlight... was never truly my power. I thought it was when I was younger, that's probably what you remember as well. But as I started practicing and training more, I learned that it wasn't ever truly sunlight I had power over. Turned out that I used and harness my powers from my own energy. It was a coincidence that my energy was of golden tones so it seemed as if it were sunlight." She explained. "As for manipulating energies, I found out I could do it by accident. It wasn't much after we... since we lost contact with each other." She said hesitantly, throwing a cautious look at the demon. "For some reason I was suddenly reminded of you and I started crying, and I remember all I wanted to do was hide and not get found by anyone. But I knew it was a stupid thought because in the palace I always was kept an eye on, I either had guards around me or had maids following me. I was never alone and was always reminded to keep up appearance and to never show emotions... But that day I couldn't, I was emotionally exhausted from my new life, so in all desperation I wished I wouldn't be found. And for some reason, I wasn't. No one found me until after I fell asleep from exhaustion because they couldn't find my energy."

A silence fell upon the room as Lucifer took in what the angel told him. He knew he should be more intrigued over her powers, but in all reality he was more focused on the revelation that she'd cried over him when she had been the one that stepped out of his life in the first place, why would she cry over someone she wanted out of her life? But Lucifer didn't show any reaction to the girl. "If you're able to do that, then why didn't you use it earlier when you were running?"

There was a heavy and long pause before Ciana finally spoke in a soft voice. "Because I couldn't show my powers around Chase." Lucifer's expression darkened at the mention of the angel's name, the change in the demon's demeanor and mood making itself felt all around the room. "Then why did you show it to me if you couldn't show it to him? From what I'm getting you two are the ones who are running around getting in trouble." He asked with a new edge to his voice.

Ciana decided to ignore his tone, having grown used to his constant mood swings whenever she brought up any of her angel friends. She sighed as she decisively plopped down on the window sill, placing her head on one end and extending her feet to the other end, the tower's large round window silhouetting her form as moonlight streamed in, the ends of her long dress lazily flowing down to the floor. "I guess because I feel more... familiar with you, so I don't feel like normal rules apply with you. After I found out my true powers my parents strictly told me to not tell anyone about them, saying that kind of power wouldn't be received well by others." She finally said, a sad smile playing on her lips. "Chase and everyone else thinks that my powers are centered around the sun- I'm afraid that Chase would see me differently if I suddenly told him about being able to manipulate energies. Wouldn't he think different of me if I told him that I can pretty much reach into his energy and alter it?" She whispered, looking down at her hands as if she could see herself holding his energy in them. 

"Why would it matter what the angel boy has to say? Next to you or me he's as worthless as un unclaimed." Lucifer asked her annoyed, standing up and taking a seat on a discarded piano next to the window. Ciana threw the demon a dirty look. "Hey, give respect. You may not like him, but he's very important to me." She said with dignity. He turned to the girl, carefully examining her facial expression as he crossed his arms in front of him, rolling his eyes. "Whatever. All I'm saying is that it'll be worst having you as their enemy than having you as an ally. Imagine going against a girl who can look into your energy and flick it off. If I had known you were able to do that before, I wouldn't have said half the stuff I'd told you in fear that you'd kill me and no one would be able to find my remains."

Ciana let out a laugh, throwing her head back against the wall, amused by the words he had chosen. The demon looked at the angel enthralled, there was something so alluring about Ciana- the way she held herself, the way she laughed, and her smile... it was all so enchanting, and he was only now realizing why everyone felt so drawn to her. "That was one time, and you were being an unbearable demon child." Ciana protested.

The two fell in a comfortable silence. Ciana was glad she could be part of Lucifer's life again, even if they couldn't go back to the friendship they used to have, she wouldn't trade the little moment they were having now for anything.

"Why did you leave the academy all those years back? Seeing as you're back here again." Lucifer asked her nonchalantly as he looked around the tower, acting unfazed about the question.

Ciana studied the demon's form for a few seconds in silence. She shrugged, turning her gaze to the window, tracing small patterns on the pane with her fingers. "I'm not entirely sure. Mom and dad told me I needed to learn the etiquette surrounding my dad's new Seraph position since expectations on the family members changed as well, they worried I couldn't do that while being away from home for such extended periods of time. They thought it was best for me to be home schooled so I could learn my roles and duties surrounding our new position at the same time. It's not... typical for someone to get promoted to such high position in such a short amount of time, so I was pressured to catch up with everything quickly. Most children of Seraphs are born into their respected roles from the start, but I wasn't..." Ciana paused, a small smile appeared on her lips as she looked over at the demon. "Guess I gave everyone a lot of grief to work with considering my mischievous nature as a child." She said, a soft laugh escaping her.

Lucifer let out a laugh, smirking. "Mischievous? Why are you describing yourself in such a mild way? I thought for sure you were the demon one out of us. Most of the time we got into trouble was because of you and your ideas." Ciana's eyes softened at hearing Lucifer recount a memory of theirs on his own. "Only because you failed at executing them without getting caught." She said accusingly, pointing a finger at the demon.

The demon gestured at the tower they were taking residence in, lifting an eyebrow mockingly at the girl. "Failed execution huh? Remind me why we're up in a tower hiding ourselves at this hour of night? What made you think it was a great idea sneaking around anyways?" The angel rolled her eyes at Lucifer. "Nothing evil about wanting to meet up for a chat in the middle of the night." She mumbled defensively.

Ciana stood up abruptly, her eyes widening. "Chase... I lost track of him when we were running away... Lucifer, we need to find him- he could be in trouble or he could still be looking for me..." The angel said desperately. The girl in a hurry started fumbling with the secret door, pushing it aside with a loud grunt, no longer caring if she was drawing attention to herself. Finding the male angel the only thought on her mind. As she started slipping herself down the door, she looked back at the demon in confusion. "Are you not coming?" She asked. The demon gave her a cold look, his jaw clenched as he stared into her eyes, all warmth and amiability gone. He silently got up and headed for the door, ruthlessly shoving Ciana aside before he descended first. The girl stood there stunned in confusion at the completely 180 in attitude the demon had just shown. Wordlessly, Ciana followed after him. As she placed the door back in place, she turned to see the demon already leaving. "Hey, wait for me!" The girl called after him, but Lucifer continued ahead in quick strides, making the girl work to keep up with him.

"I think I lost him around here, he should be around by-" But the demon stopped the angel before she could finish. "He's your problem, not mine." Lucifer said coldly, turning to leave through another exit. Ciana felt her heart drop at the retrieving demon. "Lucifer... please... I need your help... he means so much to me." She silently begged him, but the demon continued on his way, leaving the angel on her own. Ciana felt her eyes watering, why was it every time she finally managed to get closer to Lucifer that he always had to find a way to build up another wall between them? She furiously wiped at her eyes, determined to leave all thoughts of Lucifer behind until after she found Chase.

Ciana looked around everywhere she could, looked into all the rooms that both hallways at the forked paths had, and still could't find a trace of Chase anywhere. All she could think of was that maybe Chase had started looking for her in the other floors, having thought she had managed to get past the professor and run downstairs. She made it down two floors before she came across an indoor bridge, and despite her insides yelling at her to not go through, something was calling for her to cross it. Midway across it, Ciana glanced behind her, sensing someone was following after her. She frowned, it couldn't be anyone though, she couldn't feel their energy. She could sense an aura very faintly, but the energy itself she couldn't feel. She stiffened, glancing around her nervously. All her senses were telling her she was being watched, but not finding an energy attached to that presumption made her feel on edge. She felt a chill work its way over her body, momentarily freezing the girl in her spot. She wanted to believe it was all an imagination, after all, ghosts weren't a thing on Heaven. But as she stood frozen, a clear voice started whispering into her ear. _Ciana... don't be scared our little angel... soon everything will fall into place..._ The angel started trembling, there was no way she had made up that voice. "Leave me alone..." Ciana managed to word out through gritted teeth, her voice trembling. There was a deafening silence before a raspy, menacing laughter started coming at her from all directions, getting louder and louder as Ciana shrunk to the ground, covering her ears as she shut her eyes, begging for the voice to go away. She started sobbing uncontrollably, crawling herself into a ball, she'd never felt fear so strongly in her life... Ciana felt as if she was going crazy, screaming and shouting, begging to be left alone at a body-less voice. Just as she felt as if she would lose consciousness, she felt someone pull her to them, setting her on their lap as they cradled her, trying to calm the girl down. The demonic voiced suddenly gone.

"Shh... You're ok, you're fine. I'm here..." A voice called out to her, protectively wrapping their arms around the angel, pressing her closer to them as they tried to bring her back to her senses. Ciana continued sobbing, the aftermath of the events still inflicting panic over her. She shut her eyes tighter as she tightly gripped onto the shirt of her savior, crying into their chest as she let out all her fears within her. She wasn't sure how long she'd been crying for, or how long it was until she ran out of tears and started feeling her body starting coming back to normal after the shock, but she was well aware that her savior had stayed with her the entire time, not rushing or pressuring the girl to recover. And in their arms, Ciana felt safe. When she finally felt like she had enough energy back, Ciana slowly raised her face and finally took a look at the man holding her.

"Lucifer?" She asked in surprise. The demon didn't say anything, simply stared down at the angel in her fragile state in his arms. "I thought... I thought you left." She said softly, confusion etched on her face.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked her, ignoring her previous question. The angel slowly nodded at him, pulling herself up so that she was at eye level with the demon. "I am... and it's thanks to you. Thank you for staying with me." She said softly, sincerity flowing in her eyes. The demon simply nodded before standing up, carefully placing the girl on her feet. Ciana held onto the demon's elbow as a support as they started walking off the bridge. "I... When you came over, did... did you feel anyone's energy?" She asked hesitantly, throwing an anxious look over the bridge again, her grip on his elbow tightening. Lucifer shook his head. "No, I only felt yours. I didn't feel or see anyone else." He said. If it had been anyone else, she'd be afraid they thought she'd gone crazy, but with Lucifer, she knew he wouldn't lie to her. He was being sincere with her, and seeing that he wasn't questioning what she'd experienced, she knew he believed her at some extent, making the girl relax a bit.

The two walked in silence until they reached the staircase. "The angel- I mean...Chase, I found him. He's waiting one floor below for you." Lucifer said, his voice void of emotions, avoiding eye contact with the girl. Ciana gave him a weary smile. "You even managed to find Chase before me...Thank you Lucifer." She said.

Not wanting to leave the girl alone after such an incident, Lucifer guided her down despite himself having no urge at seeing the male angel anytime soon. As they came into Chase's view, the male angel sighed in relief as he rushed over to them, tightly wrapping his arms around Ciana. "I'm so glad you're ok." He mumbled into her ear, placing a small kiss to her forehead.

Lucifer looked away at the exchange, his jaw tightening.

"I'm glad to see you as well, I was worried something had happened to you." She said, letting go of Lucifer's arm as she wrapped herself around the angel. "Lucifer kept me company the entire time, so I knew I wasn't ever in real danger." She said, throwing a warm smile at the demon. Chase hesitated a bit before awkwardly nodding at the demon. "Thank you, for taking care of her when I couldn't." He said. The demon didn't respond.

"Come on, you must be exhausted, let's get you to bed." The male angel quietly told Ciana. The female angel nodded in agreement. The two started heading down the hallway when Ciana momentarily paused, telling Chase something before momentarily stepped away from him and running to the demon, giving him a hug. "Thank you for everything today." She whispered so only he could hear. 

She gave him a bright smile as she turned to leave, grabbing onto the angel's hand on her way. It was one of those bright smiles that became contagious to anyone who came across it. And at that moment, Lucifer felt its effect pulling at him. That smile that he hated so much at one point was now becoming one of his favourite things. The male angel wrapped an arm around Ciana's waist protectively as he looked down at her, completely bewitched as he bathed in the look of adoration Ciana gave him. She was in love, it was clear on her face, and for some reason, Lucifer felt a dull contraction in his heart as he looked over the two. And for the first time in his life, he wished he was the one holding her in his arms, because unknowingly to him, she had captured his heart somewhere along the way with the effortless brightness that simply was Ciana. 

Ciana was no longer the young girl he used to spend time playing with, she was no longer the girl that betrayed him and stole all of his happy moments away from him, she was now the woman that somehow had cracked through his frozen heart- She was the woman that had her heart taken by someone else that wasn't him.

He didn't know what love was, couldn't realize it was what was consuming him at the moment. How every inch of him begging to be the one holding her in his arms, the one to be the focus of her adoration was due to his infatuation with her. He was falling, quickly and deeply, unknowingly with the angel that was simultaneously falling in love with someone else that wasn't him.

* * *

Somewhere in a corner, a hooded figure watched the events unfold in front of them. "My my Ciana... You're making all this so much more interesting... Getting Satan's son to fall in love with you..." The figure gave a toe curling laugh. The hooded figure gave the retrieving girl a crooked grin. "Ciana... It's such a pretentious name, isn't it? I absolutely hate it." They said spitefully before taking one final turn and leaving the girl alone.


	6. The Truth Can be More Painful than a Lie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we start, I need to make a disclaimer. I had to change this story to Mature due to the subjects being discussed and expressed in this specific chapter. There's heavy violence and slight NSFW content here, both which I've never tried writing before, which is why it took me so long to process this chapter. I just want to say that if you don't feel comfortable with any of that, then please don't read it, I don't want to offend or make anyone feel uncomfortable here. Another thing is that this chapter is a doozy, if you're willing to read through the 20ish pages equivalent of a Word document, then please get some coffee or energy drink ready. I appreciate all the loyal readers that have stayed with me thus far, and am also super happy at seeing new individuals come in and take a look at my story every time I update. As well for those that have kept up with the story from the start, I wonder if you have any theories as to what will happen next and who the hooded figure is. There's a lot going on, so I'm intrigued at what you guys have figured out so far. That being said, I would really appreciate it if you'd leave some koodos or comments if you enjoyed the story so I get a sense of how I'm doing and if I'm meeting your expectations at all. Other than that, that's it, please do enjoy the chapter and I'll see you all next time!  
> -Harmony.

"What's going on my little angels?" A happy loud voice called out to Ciana and Chase, causing them to stop in the middle of their conversation to turn and see who had called out to them. "Oh, and fellow demon!" Adi corrected himself with a smile when he took notice of Even as well. Sammy rolled his eyes as he followed after his boyfriend. "Ignore him, guys. He's had a little too much Glyft this morning." Ciana raised an eyebrow in amusement as they watched the demon come up to them with a bit too much giddiness. "You guys need to invite me more to these secret drinking parties, if I could look this happy this early in the morning I'd be super fine with that." She said, giggling as Adi wrapped the girl in a tight hug. Sammy groaned. "No... don't encourage him any further Ciana. It's already bad enough when he drinks on his own." Adi pouted at Sammy. "Awww Sammy, you're no fun. Why can't you be more like Ciana?"

Sammy rolled his eyes, but nonetheless smiled in amusement at his boyfriend's pouty face. "Because unlike most of us, we can't get away with daylight drunkenness because our parents aren't Seraphs." He said, playfully ruffling his boyfriend's hair.

Even watched them silently in amusement. "Doesn't he have an assignment coming up soon?" He asked. Adi snapped his fingers as he turned to look at the other demon with a self pleased smile. "That, my fellow demon, is exactly why I'm drinking. Might as well have some fun while messing with them mortals, am I right?" He said, grinning as he rubbed his cheek against Ciana's in his drunken state. "He's a cuddler when he's drunk." Sammy answered for everyone as they all glanced at the demon's action in confusion.

"Go hug your own boyfriend, Adi. I think you're smothering Ciana too much." Chase said playfully, peeling Adi's arms away from Ciana, causing the demon to pout in protest. "No...But Sammy doesn't let me hug him when I'm drunk." He complained, wrapping Chase in a hug instead. Sammy glanced at the demon, shaking his head. "Only because you become excruciatingly touchy and impossible to feel off when drunk." He said, laughing at Chase's face as he tried to dodge one of Adi's kisses. When Adi didn't get the kiss he wanted, he scowled and went back to Ciana, trying to plant a kiss on her cheek when Chase intercepted, placing his hand in between the two. "Don't." He warned in a serious tone, making everyone look up at him in surprise.

Slowly a smile creeped up onto both Sammy and Adi's faces as they exchanged a look. "Don't tell me, you two are actually an item now?" Adi taunted, looking between the two of them in delight. The two angels exchanged a shy look, but neither agreed or disagreed with the statement. Because to be honest, even after their kiss neither had the guts to really bring up the topic again and have a proper chat about it, both not sure how their relationship status had changed and afraid it would change things between the two.

"Aww...look at these lovebirds." Adi chirped at them, pulling at Chase's already flustered cheeks. "Will we be godparents to a baby angel soon?" While Sammy and Adi enjoyed poking fun at the two angels, Even sat quietly, pensively looking over them. "A baby angel...seem unlikely." He said, finally giving them a lopsided grin. Adi glanced at him, thoughtfully thinking. "You're right, _babies_ was what I meant to say!" The demon said with a toothy grin.

Noticing how flustered the two angels were, Sammy flicked his boyfriend on the head, warning him to stop. "Enough messing with them. Let them handle their love affairs on their own." Adi pouted in disagreement but ultimately agreed upon seeing Sammy's stern look. "Fine, but let's do something fun. I can't sit here for another hour doing nothing." The five sat down pensively going through suggestions on how to pass time when suddenly Chase put on devious look. Discretely catching Ciana's eye, he cocked his head towards Even's form, telling her he had an idea. Curious but all the same amused by what he had in mind, she nodded and followed his lead. Unsuspecting of anything, Even leaned back against a tree trunk, closing his eyes as he took in some moment of peace as the others continued their discussion, when all of a sudden Chase threw a small lightning bolt at him, hitting the trunk next to the demon's left shoulder, causing the part of the tree that was hit to smoke up. "Power fight!" He shouted as he grabbed Ciana's hand and pulled her away with him, Adi and Sammy immediately getting up and running away as well. Even glared disapprovingly at the angel. "You're not getting me to play your dumb game, angel." He said. Ciana laughed and stuck out her tongue at him. "Too bad, Even! Learn to have some fun in your life. You're it!" She called out to him as the group headed up the hill to get some distance from the demon.

For a moment the group thought that Even had completely ignored and left them when suddenly a black sphere quickly spiraled at them, hitting Adi on the arm. "Looks like you're it." The demon grinned at Adi, quickly flying away to avoid Adi's next hit. The group quickly engaged into an aggressive and competitive game, laughing as they tried avoiding getting tagged and chasing after the others around the open fields as if their lives depended on it. Finally running away from Sammy who was currently tagged and had ruthlessly tried chasing after the girl for the longest of time before giving up on her and going after Chase instead, Ciana took a breather by the gardens when she thought she was finally away from the others. The angel flopped down on the grass, taking in deep breaths of air as she tried to replenish her lost energy. She was about to lie down when she noticed a white-winged figure with dark hair coming her way out of the corner of her eye. The girl quickly sprung up on instinct and started running away from the angel, trying to not get noticed by Sammy as she ran, simultaneously turning around to keep an eye on the male. In her haste at keeping unseen by the angel, she disregarded the thought that other students could be around, and without knowledge managed to trip over someone through her ignorance of her surroundings.

The fall wasn't either graceful nor the quietest, which was why Ciana's first thought was to quickly look around to see if Sammy had heard her. But to the girl's utmost confusion and surprise, she saw no traces or felt the angel's energy anywhere nearby. Finally snapping out of her confusion as the figure beneath her started squirming, Ciana gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Ciana said, quickly getting herself up and extending a hand over to the person she had knocked over.

"Get off, you useless scum." An agitated voice reached out to her, forcefully slapping her hand away. Ciana looked down to find a rather familiar raven haired individual on the ground, glaring daggers up to her. The angel sighed and rolled her eyes, straightening herself up, all of a sudden not feeling as sorry about knocking the individual over anymore.

"I'm sick of seeing you angels run around like rabid children. You act so mighty since we have no choice but be f*cking stuck on your grounds, but you actually are just as disgusting and lowly as mortals." Austie spat at Ciana, angrily taking the extended hand of the male demon beside her. Ciana rolled her eyes as Lucifer glanced at her in amusement. He always found it enjoyable whenever the two females went at it with the other.

"Who would have thought, another knockdown for the ram." Lucifer directed at Ciana in amusement, gloating and enjoying the new inside joke he associated with the angel's clumsiness.

"Nice seeing you too, Austie. Glad to know my presence is so highly valued by someone as important as you." Ciana said sarcastically, ignoring Lucifer's remark as she crossed her arms over her chest. It was clear to everyone that the two girls didn't hold the highest regards towards the other. Unfortunately being part of Lucifer's life guaranteed the chances of Ciana and Austie occasionally crossing paths with each other. And while Ciana tried acting civil at first, fully understanding that while in her absence from Lucifer's life Austie had become part of his, the angel quickly got over it when she realized that Austie only took formalities as an encouragement to taunt her. The demon girl always seemed to have a bone to pick with the angel from the moment they met, which in a way she understood since Ciana reentering the demon's life could seem like she was taking Lucifer away from her- as if she were trespassing territories that didn't belong to her. And from very early on, it was clear to Ciana that the female demon held some sort of feelings for Lucifer, which Ciana again could see why- even the angel knew her childhood friend had become an attractive man through the last couple of years. But despite making it clear to the female demon that she only saw him as a friend with no romantic feelings attached, the demon still held the angel with the utmost hostility. And it didn't look like she'd change her mind on the matter any time soon.

The demon girl studied the angel in silence, suddenly seeming to fully take in Ciana. Ignoring her earlier remark the demon instead smirked at her, looking her up and down as if she knew some juicy gossip on her that she didn't know about. "Oh, you know what? It's actually great to have actually run into you...I was so very worried when I heard about your little fainting episode a few days ago- on training class, was it?" She asked, coming up to Ciana and cocking her head to the side as she took a strand of Ciana's hair between her perfectly manicured fingers and started playing with it, twirling it around her fingers, the corner of her lips twitching into a smirk. "And here we were worrying we put you in a class too low for your family's status...What is it Seraph's child? Is doing a little magic too much to handle for someone who's father does everything for her?" She asked in a mocking baby sound.

Lucifer's smirk fell off and his demeanor hardened at the demon. "Austie-" He warned, but the female ignored him. "Such a shame to have missed the spectacle, I heard you made a great show, angel- How did they say it went? Falling as if you were a petty bird being shot at? Pity, I would have loved to have seen it." She said, clicking her tongue at the angel. Having enough, Lucifer forcefully pulled the demon away from Ciana. "Enough. I told you not to bring this up." He hissed at her, his eyes flashing a dangerous red. Austie aggressively shook the demon off, scoffing at him. "I'm just having a bit of fun here, Lucifer."

The male demon's face became fiercer, more aggressive as he grabbed onto the female demon's arm, preventing her from turning back to the angel. Austie looked at him in absolute disgust and disbelief. "What's wrong with you Lucifer? Wasn't it enough getting in trouble for her? Now you go playing hero whenever she gets into a mess?"

"This has nothing to do with the angel, it's the fact you're disobeying me." Lucifer growled. Austie let out a exasperated laugh. "Do you expect me to be ok with the fact you're constantly looking over her as if you were some f*cking guardian angel? Jumping to catch her whenever she gets into some stupid inconvenience? When did you become so weak towards pathetic losers like her?" Austie stared at Lucifer in disgust. "You've changed... And I've had enough Lucifer, I won't watch you become some sob loser for this girl." Austie spat before she took off, leaving the demon on his own.

Somewhere along their argument, Chase silently made his way over to the group and put his hands on Ciana's shoulders in a protective manner as they watched the two demons argue. There was a pause as Lucifer tried to calm down from his outburst as he watched Austie fly off. When Lucifer finally turned around and took notice of the male angel, the two tensely looked at each other, thick suffocating friction hanging in the air between the two males. The demon's eyes darted from Chase's face to his tight grip on Ciana's shoulders, his jaw tightening. Not uttering a word, the demon turned around and left them as well. On instinct, Ciana started going after Lucifer, only to have her stopped by Chase as he tightened his hold on the girl. "Ciana, now's not the time-" The male said. Ciana frowned at him. "Chase... let me go." She warned him quietly. The male looked her in the eyes, determination at keeping the girl away from the demon clear on his face, but sighed in the end, understanding that Ciana would find a way around his protests anyways. "Just... don't forget we have an assignment soon, don't be late. This time not even Fencio will overlook it." He warned before softly planting a kiss on her head, a small smile appearing on his face as Ciana turned to hug him. "Thank you." She said before letting him go and chasing after the demon.

Despite the demon having had a head start, it didn't take long for Ciana to find the demon. He was propped up against a column of an old semi-discarded gazebo overgrown by vines next to the lake. Wordlessly the angel sat down next to the demon, starring off at the serene scene in front of her.

"Missed my face already? I thought you could at least hold up a bit longer before seeking me out again." The demon said smugly when he felt Ciana's presence around him. The demon threw a stone onto the still waters, creating ripples as the stone bounced over the water, breaking its peaceful presence. Ciana softly smiled at the demon's usual cocky attitude as she watched the ripples multiple on the lake. "You sure are full of yourself, Satan's son. Already told you you're not my type." Ciana said playfully as she picked up her own rock and threw it across the lake after Lucifer's, only to have it bounce a total of two times before sinking down into the water. 

"Where'd you leave your little sidekick? Was he too scared to come see me? Or is it that you finally realized I'm a better companion than him?" Lucifer asked, glancing over at Ciana, a corner of his mouth turning into a smirk. The girl playfully threw a small pebble at the demon. "He has a name, Luci. And no, Chase didn't come with me. I thought you'd appreciate not having someone breath down your neck while we talked." The demon snorted at the absurd image of the male angel scaring him. The two sat in peaceful silence as they let the sun bask them in warmth.

"You know that Austie's words don't hold anything against me anymore right? It's practically second nature to not take anything she says to heart." Ciana said, breaking the silence, bringing her knees up to her chest as she leaned against one of the standing columns. "I've already got used to the murmurs about my fainting episode in the class, so her words didn't dig too much more out of me." Ciana said with a soft smile. After her fainting incidence, the girl had once more become the talk of the school, but the more time Ciana spent at the academy, the less their words seem to bother her. In a way it made her realize just how much Lucifer had to personally endure on his own in order to get to his level of neglect towards other's words. And it made her feel as if they had at least that in common now despite the two having lost all other common interest they both shared at some point in their lives. In the end they were just two outcasts from influential families that had to put through with unprecedented amounts of uncalled murmuring and gossiping.

Ciana continued when she noticed that Lucifer wasn't saying anything. "Besides, I don't think she has anything to worry about, I don't think you've changed much from your cocky, egotistic, ill-tempered self from when we met again at the front of the school. In all honesty I feel you've become more intolerable lately. At least back then you made it clear you hated me, now I'm confused at whether to be on the defense in case you want to suddenly stab me or to be open and friendly when you ask me to share my snacks in class- I'm always on edge nowadays, and it's stressing me out." The angel said seriously, causing the demon to snort at her scrunched up face. "And... as much as I dislike Austie... I honestly think you were a bit too harsh on her back there." Ciana hesitantly admitted as she turned to look at the demon.

The demon scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You're making yourself sound way too important, your highness. I was never worried for you. I've said it before, it must take a great deal to get through that thick skull of yours." The demon's eyes suddenly hardened as he threw another rock across the water, this time more forcefully. "But Austie is just being illogical, thinking that you're some competition or something. She's letting petty emotions take over her actions, it's pathetic."

Ciana frowned at his choice of words, wrapping her arms around her knees and leaning her head against them as she watched his rock skittle to the lake's midpoint before finally sinking. "There's nothing pathetic about having emotions Luci...Clearly she holds some sort of feelings for you after spending some elongated time with you, and I honestly don't blame her for her reaction. Specially when for so long she's been the only female allowed in your presence. She must be somewhat defensive over the fact that that recently she hasn't been the only woman you've been paying attention to. I mean, Vicky also somehow managed to catch your attention, didn't she?"

"Why are we suddenly bringing the unclaimed into this?" Lucifer asked the girl, irritation written on his face, his red eyes flickering a deeper red.

"I'm just pointing out what you've been too ignorant to realize and admit. As much as you say you don't care for the unclaimed, I saw the way you reacted to her that night I met her. You clearly have a soft spot for her, and I don't think that I'm the only one that noticed it either. Austie seems to have seen the way you look at Vicky as well, and I think it triggered some sort of jealousy out of her. I just know that feelings make you do things that you normally wouldn't do, and Austie is just lashing out because she's not used to being overshadowed in your eyes." The angel said, turning to face the demon as she spoke, her features softening in sadness at the thought of having your feelings disregarded by the one you have a crush on. "All I'm asking is for you to not be so harsh on her, even demons have feelings."

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "You're being unreasonable, angel. Feelings are absolutely meaningless. Austie's being stupid if she even considers that I'd hold special feelings for a measly unclaimed in the first place. And as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing going between me and Austie other than regular sex." The demon said with finality, tearing his eyes away from the angel.

"I'm sure there's more to your relationship than just sex, Lucifer. Don't you two have deeper talks or share a special bond after spending so much time with each other?" The demon scoffed, laughing at the angel. "So what? So we would have mushy talks like you and other angels do? Please, there's no point in engaging in anything other than the physical- nothing worthy comes out of emotional engagement. Only thing it leads to is a weakness given to someone else you have entrusted it with." Lucifer said, directing the jab at the angel.

The angel puffed up in defiance, agitated and insulted by his words. "You'll never drop that will you? I told you, I never left you on purpose Luci! And because you're so freaking condensed in your way of thinking and completely closed off to the idea of opening up to others, you'll never know how rewarding getting to know someone on an emotional level truly can be." The girl said, kicking at a small patch of exposed dirt on the ground in irritation. "Don't get me wrong, I understand and comprehend how physical contact can please you, but for the most part it's temporary. But when you truly get to know someone on an emotional level, the feelings you feel for that person is just so... fulfilling and rewarding." The angel paused as a soft smile played on her lips. "With the right person, they can make you feel like you're special- make you feel as if nothing else in the world matters when you're with them...making you feel like you're free and liberated from being someone you're expected to be..." Ciana finished softly, her eyes softening as a warm feeling washed over her, the image of Chase momentarily flashing in her mind. The girl looked down at her hands, a small smile appearing on her face, momentarily forgetting where she was and who she was with. Silence fell over the two, an eerie contrast to the full on conversations the two were just having- probing the demon to turn and take a look over at the girl. Lucifer silently studied the way the angel's cheeks had taken on a rosy colour, how her frown had suddenly turned into a small glowing smile, and how her eyes glimmered from some sort of happiness- the complete opposite of the harsh look she'd given him a few seconds ago when he'd brought up her betrayal once again. And somehow without having to ask who she was thinking about that could cause her to smile so easily, he just knew. And for some reason, the thought made him frown, somewhat disliking the idea that the girl would be thinking of the angel at all. On an impulse, annoyed that the girl's demeanor had changed so much just by thinking of the damn angel, Lucifer fully turned to look at the girl, competitiveness setting in him as he set his eyes on making himself the only thought on her mind.

The demon raised an eyebrow at the girl. "You want to bet on that, your highness?" He asked. Before the angel fully snapped out of her trance in order to understand and process what he'd just asked her, the demon roughly pulled the girl to him and set her over his lap, setting her flushly against him- spreading her legs and setting one on either side of the demon's body as he pressed her roughly to him. The angel let out a small gasp as she clung to his shoulders for support from being completely thrown off by the demon's sudden move. Seeing how surprised the angel was, Lucifer smirked up at her, taking in the way her brown locks were a bit tossed from the sudden movement, enjoying how he could feel the girl's quickened heartbeat resonating through his own chest, and how her golden hazel eyes fully focused on him. He liked this, he liked being the main focus of her attention- liked it how he was all that she could think off instead of that damn angel. Ciana's eyes widened, feeling something quickly hardening between her legs. "Luci, what are you doing?" She hissed at him, frailing around trying to get herself off the demon, only to have him pull her down harder, the demon grunting between his teeth as he felt himself harden under the angel. He wrapped an arm around the angel's waist, pulling her torso to him as he placed his face in between her breasts, causing the girl to squirm in surprise at the sudden move. "You're absolutely insufferable, your highness." The demon mumbled in between her breasts, sending thick resonating vibrations through her body, making her body scream in pleasurable ways its never felt before. "And you somehow always make me want to prove you wrong." Her insides suddenly felt hot, her breath quickened, becoming harder to breathe in air. The demon pulled himself away and looked up at the angel's eyes, his chest heaving from the surge of excitement from the physical contact. "No amount of emotional connection can make you feel this good, can it?" The demon taunted Ciana, cupping one of her breasts in his hand, roughly squeezing at it, making the angel bite back a moan as she threw her head back in pleasure. The angel's inside voice yelled at her to snap out of it, that he was just playing with her to get a reaction out of her, but despite her protests, the angel couldn't hold back just how good this new sensation Lucifer gave her felt. Lucifer's eyes darkened in lust at the look of pleasure on the angel's face. Never in his life had he thought he'd be interested in the angel's more intimate sounds and be intrigued at wanting to get to see her at her most vulnerable and bareness before him, but that was just a thing Ciana did to him- she always made him want to explore her and see more of her, she made him long for something she had that he just knew no one else could give him.

"Now tell me, your highness, is emotional contact better than physical?" He asked, giving the girl a cocky grin as he ravished in the angel's flushed face. Ciana's heart rate was beating at such high intensity she wondered how it was still in her chest at all. Forcing herself to break eye contact and snap out of her state, she pushed herself off the demon, clumsily crawling a few columns away from the demon as she tried to calm herself down. "You're absolutely unbelievable." She mumbled under her breath as she tried to hide her red cheeks, avoiding looking at the demon as she fixed her dress- covering as much of her cleavage as she could from the demon.

The demon laughed in amusement, cocking an eyebrow at the girl. "Why so flushed, your highness? Are you afraid to admit you lost the bet, or is it because you enjoyed that little naughty display a little more than you should have? Still think your little conversations with that worthless angel can make you feel as good as that little display I gave you?"

The angel glared at the demon. "You're just playing dirty. That wasn't a fair play and you know it. And as far as I know, you probably won't even give me a chance to show you how fulfilling letting someone connect with you on an emotional level can be."

The demon rolled his eyes. "Yawn, boring... You just don't get it, do you? Feelings aren't real, they weaken you, make you lose sight of what's important. It's pathetic those who hold emotions above position and power. That's what's different between your people and mine, we don't let these pitiful emotions get to us. That's why sex is so common to us, we see it as simple pleasure- That momentary rush of ecstasy you feel pumping through your veins when you're having sex is all you need. Austie shouldn't be letting this affect her at all, it's only sex.

Suddenly the girl felt her chest tighten at the demon's harsh words. Did he truly see something so intimate as sex as nothing but simple pleasure? The angel suddenly took pity for the female demon. "No one enjoys being called just sex, Lucifer..."

The demon rolled his eyes. "She knew what our relationship would be like when we started it. She should have stopped if she couldn't handle foolish feelings from emerging." He said with no remorse. He glanced over at the angel and studied her. "You're too naive, still thinking people actually care about you or hold special feelings for you. Just wait until they all let you down, then you'll see you're the only one you can trust...To feel is deception."

The angel looked at him in disbelief, her brows furrowed as she looked at the heartless man in front of her. "You can't help who you fall for, Luci... She probably thought it would be fine going ahead with the arrangement at first, thinking nothing would come out of it other than some fun time. But truth is, you never know if some sort of feelings will emerge later. And I can't blame her for feeling like that- No one's feelings should be disregarded like that at all." Ciana said, slowly getting up, somehow hurt by the words the demon had so easily spat out. Something about how heartless he regarded someone so close to him didn't bode well with her. After the unforeseen moment the two had just gone through, the angel started looking at her childhood best friend in a different light. "We should go, our assignments are starting soon." She said tensely, walking ahead of the demon before he could respond.

"And about before...I disagree. I think that feelings actually make you stronger, not weaken you." Ciana said behind her back before heading to class on her own.

* * *

The assignment given to Ciana that day wasn't the most difficult one she'd been tasked with. She was sent to help a young boy decide whether to skip school to hang out with the cool kids and impress the girl he had a crush on or to stay at school and show up to his science test which his parents had paid tutors to prepare for. Ciana could see that the boy despite wanting to really impress the girl, in his conscience he felt more guilty over missing his test because of the amount of money his parents had put into his studies, so the angel gently pushed the young boy into taking the test with a promise that one day he'd find a girl worthy of his heart that didn't have him put his bright future in the back burner just to impress her.

Finishing the assignment early, she activated the portal back to the academy, hoping to catch some rest before her next lecture as she felt her body finally take the toll and feeling the exertion from her competitive game prior to class. When she finally landed back in the classroom, and headed out the class doors she caught sight of Even as he stood still near the teacher's office hall despite not actually heading to any of the rooms as he thoughtfully pondering over something. Ciana slowly approached him and tapped him on the shoulder. "I see you have finished your assignment early as well. What's got you all spaced out?" The demon blinked a few times before recognition crossed his face as he finally turned to look at Ciana. "Ah, must be from exhaustion from our game earlier." He said, which gained him an agreeable grunt from the girl. "Tell me about it, I feel like my wings are about to break off." The angel said as she flapped her wings once to show how strained they were. "I'm guessing we're all too competitive to keep playing games like these anymore unless one of us wants to end up passing out." The angel joked as she started heading down the corridor to the sleeping quarters. "Come on, let's go get some rest while everyone else is still finishing up." She said.

"Wait!" The demon shouted in a hurry. "I, um. Actually... I wanted to talk to Misselina, and I was wondering if you'd come with me." Even hesitantly called after the angel. Ciana turned to look at him in confusion. "Me? Why do you need me to come with you?" The demon shrugged uncomfortably. "Guess I managed to piss her off during one of her classes, thought that at least she won't be so hard on me if you come with me."

Ciana raised an eyebrow showing her skepticism but nodded nonetheless, giving him a mocking smile. "Alright, lead the way, troublemaker." As they headed down the teacher's hall and got closer to Misselina's door, hurried and anxious voices could be heard coming from her room. "Maybe we should come at a later time-" Ciana started whispering to Even as she started heading back, only to have him pull on her arm and lead her up to the slightly ajar door.

"What do you mean she's with him?!" She heard Misselina say worried, the scraping of chair on wooden floor resonating in a haste from getting up from it. "What do you think you'll do? Go down to Satan and get the two of them? Do you think it's a good idea messing with him?" Another voice growled at Misselina, trying to instill some reason in her. "I... I don't know. We'll discuss their punishment after I'm back, but I'll at least get Vicky out of there. Lucifer, I hope can put up with his father on his own, we both know it's not the first time he's been summoned by his father." Misselina said with finality as she swung open the door, jumping back a bit at seeing Ciana and Even standing behind it. "Oh my... sorry kids, I have to leave now. We'll talk when I'm back." She said in a hurry, patting Ciana on the arm before going between them and running down the hall. Ciana stayed rooted in her spot, horrified at what she'd just heard. What did they mean about Lucifer getting summoned by his father? Wasn't he completing his assignment right now as well? Why would he be called up in the middle of it? A few seconds after Misselina left, Geralt walked out of her room, glancing at the two students standing before him with an unreadable expression. "What are you two standing there for? You heard Misselina, no point in hanging here. Go do something productive." He said as he started heading down the corridor as well, but Ciana called out to him before he could disappear around the corner. "Professor!" She called out, only to be ignored by the older demon as he continued along. Ciana in a burst of desperation quickly followed after him, stopping in front of him so that he had no other choice than give her his full attention. "Professor please...Why... Why was Lucifer summoned by his father? Is no one going down to help get him?" She asked, desperate worry etched in her face, silently begging him to reassure her that someone would go and look out for the demon.

He stared at the angel silently with a stoic expression on his face. "Miss Ciana, please don't act foolish right now. You more than most others should be well aware that Lucifer and his father have a very...unique bond, and should be well aware that no one should interfere in their matters. So I ask you to stop your inappropriate behaviour and head on to do something else while I still have some patience left for you." He said firmly as he pressed a finger to the angel's forehead and pushed her to the side. "And please don't do anything you'll regret later." The professor added in an authoritarian voice as he finally walked out of view.

Ciana still shaken and uneasy from finding out Lucifer might be in trouble suddenly felt herself fill with dread and outrage at seeing how no one seemed to care about Lucifer's condition simply because they didn't want to cross his father, and without much thinking the angel started heading to the stairs, set on leaving through the doors and going down to Hell with a solid resolve set on getting the demon back.

"What do you think you're doing? You heard what Geralt said. He told you to not do anything you'll regret later." Even said, pulling at Ciana's arm, trying to stop her, only to have the angel pull away from him forcefully, ignoring Even's words and sprinting down the stairs as quickly as she could before anyone could stop her.

"Everyone deserves to have someone worry about them, even if it's someone who doesn't care about it themselves." Ciana said before spreading her wings and skydived down through the clouds towards Hell.

* * *

The loud sound of chains slamming against flesh echoed loudly across the spacious and dark chamber, followed only by the raspy and uneven labored breathing from the younger demon as he gritted his teeth through another whipping; blood dripping down his tattoo covered flesh, painting the stone floor below him with a dark almost black pool of blood. Determined not to show weakness to his father, he bit down a scream as pain coursed through his body as he kneeled obediently in front of him.

"All of this trouble for some stupid unclaimed? You're risking breaking the rules for some UNCLAIMED?! Am I hearing this right?" Satan growled, crimson red eyes piercing through the younger demon's form as he took another swing in pure anger, earning a strained grunt from the kneeling demon. Lucifer swayed slightly in his spot, already weakened from the last blow, but nevertheless stayed upright. "It wasn't my intentions to aid her. Her stupid human curiosity got me pulled back with her. I only followed her since we were already there." The demon said through gritted teeth, spitting out blood that had accumulated in his mouth.

"You could have left her! Let her take the blame for herself, but instead you followed her, making you just as intolerable and insufferable as an unclaimed!" Satan yelled, throwing away his chains, grabbing onto his son's throat instead through his anger, making his son look up directly at him. Lucifer grunted as he tried to loosen his father's grip, glaring back at him with full hatred on his face. "It was a- grr- a one time thing. It'll never happen again." Lucifer managed to say through great difficulty as the pressure on his throat tightened, all while not breaking eye contact with the older of the two. After what felt like an eternity, Satan finally let go, throwing his son away from him with a powerful throw. "You're right, it will be a last time thing. I don't think you'll easily go against my words a second time for a measly unclaimed girl..." The older man said, glaring at the crumbled body of his son as he tried to get into a sitting position. "Besides... I think there's more pressing matters that we still need to address." He pulled at his shirt's collar, glaring down at the younger demon as his demeanor darkened, fire blazing in his red eyes.

"Now... I heard that the little unclaimed wasn't all that's on your mind now- am I right?" His father asked, staring down at the young demon, watching in amusement as he stiffened, getting a hint as to where the conversation was heading. "This angel... this stupid nuisance of an angel. I never liked her from the beginning, her and her whole family. I knew they would mess with you, make you weak. But your mother was so adamant about her stupid friendship with that angel, and I let her keep bringing them in due to my weakness for her." He laughed maliciously, grabbing a glass bottle off his table and smashing it to the ground, glass shards spewing everywhere as the red wine it once housed leaked freely through the cracks on the ground. "That was my biggest mistake. The dumb young girl made you weak from the start, took your focus away from all the greatness you could have achieved early on, leaving me with a son that brought nothing but dishonour." He roared, turning to his son as he took a kick at him, knocking him back to the ground. "I've been wanting to settle a piece with them for a while now, but just how convenient was it that they suddenly rose to Seraph positions, suddenly gaining protection from Shepha?" He sneered in distaste. "But I think I know a way to get back to them through their precious daughter." He said wickedly, waiting to see his son's reaction.

"Hah... I wonder who told you about the angel... Was it possibly Austie that reported to you?" Lucifer asked cockily at his father, taunting him on. "The fact you need someone reporting to you makes me think you're more obsessed with her than me, father." Lucifer said through haggard breaths, putting on a smirk. "You know better than me that she's the base of all my hatred- she means absolutely nothing to me. And I'm no king of Hell, but I'm sure that wasting time on her instead of running the underworld will be real beneficial right, father?" Lucifer mocked, putting on a condescending look. Satan only smiled, laughing at the younger demon's feeble attempt at hiding his fear. "You never were made to be a great liar, Lucifer... Don't forget I can see what you're thinking. " He squatted down to look at his son's eyes. "You might have hated her, used her as a beacon of hate at first, yes, that's true. But I don't think that's the case anymore, is it? Go ahead and try to hide your your fears behind your cocky attitude, my son- I'll figure out your true regards towards the angel sooner or later." Satan paused as he meticulously unbuttoned his cuffs, pulling back his sleeves as he watched his son pensively. "But... seeing as you're talking back at me so cockily, I take it that she's already gotten you under her spell, huh? You're trying to redirect my attention to you instead of the angel, am I right?" When Lucifer stayed silent, Satan's smirk widened. "Oh my, what a great manipulator that angel is..." He said, thoughtfully watching his son's calm expression trying to catch any small slips his words could bring out. "Didn't I tell you before, son? That she's just playing with your feelings? Do I have to remind you of how pathetic you became once she deserted you in the past? What disgusting and pathetic mess you became because of her? She's a good manipulator, messing with your feelings, making you believe she actually cares about you. But you're nothing to her other than just a fun piece to play with, only to discard of you when she gets bored of you...She's done it once, what's stopping her from doing it a second time seeing as you've already lowered your guard around her?"

Lucifer tried his best to keep a calm expression on his face as his heart stopped at his dad's words, but in that small semi second of hesitation he flinched, his emotions betraying him- momentarily causing the demon to lose control over his emotions, shock and hurt flashing through his features briefly before he tried reigning back control. Something about his father's last words had hit a cord of realization in him. Catching the change in his son's facial expressions, Satan smirked. "Look at you, so my son has fallen for her tricks again after all... How disappointing." When Lucifer failed to respond, instead keeping silent, Satan growled in frustration, slapping the younger demon across the face, causing his lip to open up from the brute force. "I didn't tell you to wallow in your stupid emotions!" He hissed. But Lucifer barely registered what happened, a sudden outburst of hurt washing over him as he recalled Ciana's bright smile. Had they all been fake?

Having had enough of his son's unwillingness to collaborate with him, he forcefully grabbed his son's face, looking into his eyes as he trespassed into his thoughts. The older demon's face becoming harsher and the creases on his forehead becoming graver the more he watched over his son's memories and the deeper he got to his son's feelings concerning the angel: _Their reencounter at the front of the academy, Lucifer sticking up for the angel in front of Geralt, the image of the girl sitting by a round window as she laughed merrily at Lucifer, the subtle look of want and desire he threw at the girl when she was walking away with another male angel, and lastly a visual of Ciana as she moaned over his lap_. There was a heavy and menacing silence that followed as Satan tried to make sense of what he'd seen. After what felt like an eternity, he let out a diabolical heckle that vibrated through the cavernous room, sending chills down Lucifer's spine.

"Could it be? My son is actually falling in love with the angel that broke his heart and left him alone when he needed her the most? How absolutely embarrassing..." Satan jeered in disbelief as he got closer to Lucifer's stiffened body. "TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT WHERE YOU ARE AT, SON!" He yelled at him as he delivered a punch to Lucifer's face, where a black eye would form soon. "Are you really willing to lose all this after fighting so hard to get to this point for some measly angel? Never had she cared enough to reach out to you all those years when you tried so pathetically to find her... Now that she's back, she's simply waiting to take you down again. I taught you to be smart... Don't let petty stupid feelings cloud your mind." Satan said venomously, finally letting go of his son's form as he turned his back to him, having had enough dealing with his son, completely repulsed by what he'd seen. Lucifer quietly sat on the ground as he let his father's daunting words wash over him, trying his best to keep his facial expressions in check.

"I hope to not have to see you anytime soon, now get out. And get the unclaimed away from here before I change my mind and punish her as well." Satan said with finality as he left the chamber, leaving Lucifer alone.

...

Watching the unclaimed rush out of the dungeon with hatred for him clear on her face, Lucifer growled in frustration. Slamming his fist into the nearest wall, he closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. But reeling back at what happened the last few hours and what he’s done to get himself in this position only made him more frustrated. “It’s all because of her.” He reminded himself through a scream of furry, slamming his fist onto the wall again. "If she hadn't let her stupid mortal curiosity get to her, none of this would have happened." He growled in agitation as he swept his fingers through his hair as he leaned his head against his fist.

"Luci?” He heard a faint frantic voice call out to him, bringing him out of his thoughts. “Luci, where are you? Please tell me you’re fine...” He heard desperate footsteps echoing across the wet dungeon's floor as the individual scrambled around in a hurry to find him. Despite the individual's desperation being heard through their voice, Lucifer stayed silent, not giving them any indication of having had heard them or letting them know where he was. At first he thought the unclaimed had come back, for whatever reason who knows. But part of him hoped it would be, at least then he would have someone to unleash his anger upon instead of fighting the inner turmoil on his own. The unclaimed had always been someone that easily brought out his agitation anyways, and he definitely had let her go too easily for the amount of headache she'd left him with. After some time passed as Lucifer listened in no rush to the hurried footsteps getting closer and closer to his whereabouts, the demon's demeanor hardened when he finally got a glimpse of them as the individual turned a corner.

Out of everyone, the angel he despised the most at the moment was the one standing before him.

A look of absolute relief washed over her features when she finally caught sight of Lucifer, her golden aura seemingly brighter and more annoying than ever against the glum backdrop of the cells around her. He hated it, he hated her. "You’re alright…” Ciana sighed in relief, rushing up and throwing herself at the demon, pulling him into a tight embrace. “I was so worried when I heard about what happened.” She whispered softly, tightening her grip around his waist as she buried her face into his chest, relief at finding the demon flooding through her. "Thank Shapha you're okay... I came as soon as I found out, but I was scared that I wouldn't get to you on time." The angel whispered softly as she let herself engulf in momentary relief at being surrounded by Lucifer's familiar energy again.

Lucifer stayed still, his eyes void of emotions as he stared down at the angel. “What are you doing here?” He asked her coldly. Ciana pulled herself from their embrace and looked up at Lucifer as she searched his face, worry etched on her face as she carefully took in the new cuts and the black eye. “Are you alright? Does it hurt?” She asked concerned, pulling on her dress sleeve and softly dabbing at a gash on his face. Becoming even more careful and concentrated as she dabbed at his broken lip. Lucifer in a fit of fury, pushed her arm away, a little more forceful that he intended to, but at the moment he didn’t care about pleasantries. “I asked, what are you doing here?” He asked, more forcefully this time. The angel looked at him, confused at his sudden roughness. “I heard you didn't get back to the academy and that you got into another argument with your father. I just thought that..." Ciana started saying, but stopped talking as the demon’s red eyes pierced at her, telling her he wasn't interested in hearing her story.

The demon laughed sinisterly, his lip twitching as he looked over the angel in front of him. "You thought what, your highness? That I needed your help? You thought you could save the day and be a hero by coming here? That I’d be thankful?” He sneered, distaste clear in his voice as he glared down at the angel in front of him through venomous red eyes. “Pretentious as always you angels…” He scoffed in amusement, pushing the girl away from him.

Ciana looked at him in confusion, hurt from his words clear on her face. “Luci… What's going on? What are you saying? Did your dad say something to you?" She asked with hesitation, trying to softly place a hand on the demon's shoulder, only to have it knocked away with a loud slap, the force of it causing a ringing to be heard throughout the dungeons. The prisoners all becoming silent and stopping their movements as they detected how serious the situation between Satan's son and this angel had just gotten.

"I knew you were stupid, but how dense do you have to be to not understand the situation?" The demon chuckled darkly. "Guess I have to dumb down everything for you after all."

"I'm saying that you seem to meddle into everyone's business whenever you're not wanted, acting like some saint as if everything will miraculously fix itself just with your presence. But you never see how much chaos you actually cause around you with your stupid prying- you hurt and destroy everything in your path while you're sheltered and stuck in your naive little world, thinking you're some f*cking miracle worker! What I hate most is that you never acknowledge when you do wrong...Your stupid golden personality is so f*cking deceiving- you're no angel, you're a massive manipulator that hides behind others through your powerful connections and pretentious innocent look." The demon heckled darkly as he took a step towards the angel, making her back up against a corner as he let his raging thoughts lash out at her. "You wanted emotions, angel? I'll give you emotions." He hissed as he pinned the girl between his arms, placing them next to the girl's head so she had no escape route. "You want to know why I have so much hate within me, Ciana? Why I despise absolutely everything and everyone around me?" Lucifer jeered, closing the distance between him and Ciana, forcefully grabbed onto her chin, turning her head so she was forced to look up at him, Lucifer deeply enjoying the girl's squirming under him. "Aren't you curious as to why I've changed so much from your memories? About how I became the monster I am today? I'm no longer your precious Luci anymore, princess- And it's all due to your own doing, the monster I am today was created from your doings." Lucifer growled at her, watching as Ciana's eyes filled with fear as he towered over her, every word that came out of him inflicting jab after jab of hurt at the girl.

"You're- You're no monster, Luci." Ciana said through quivering lips as she swallowed down her fear of the blood-curdling demon before her, trying to get through Lucifer with her sincerity. The demon stared at her in silence before erupting in a fit of demonic laughter. "Lies! Like everything you've said before." He said with full malice. "Everything you say is a lie. I'll show you what a real monster I can be to you, your highness." He hissed as his eyes glowed bloody red, his face becoming harsher as he zeroed in on her. Without much as a warning, the demon grabbed the angel by the throat, forcefully tightening his hold on her as he lifter her up, having her to be at eye level to him. The girl gasped as she tried to unclasp the demon's hands from her throat, flaying her legs through empty air as she desperately tried to find some leverage to loosen his grip on her. "You ruin absolutely everything... I was fine before you came back, I was happy before your annoying self leached into my life just to destroy everything once again... Wasn't it enough ruining me once? Why did you have to come back?! I NEVER WANTED TO SEE YOU AGAIN, I LOATHED YOU FOR SO LONG, BUILDING MYSELF UP AGAIN THROUGH PURE HATRED I HELD FOR YOU, BUT YOU JUST HAD TO CAME BACK. WAS IT TO PLEASE YOU IN KNOWING THAT YOU COULD BREAK ME DOWN AGAIN?! DO YOU LOVE TO SEE ME RUINED? WAS DESTROYING ME ONCE NOT ENOUGH FOR YOUR SATISFACTION?" Lucifer yelled at the top of his lungs as his anger and pent up emotions overtook him and his rationality, squeezing the girl's throat harder as he took out his anger on her, shaking her body around in anger. Impatiently the demon waited for the girl to utter something, to contradict him so that he could have another go at her- only to be met with complete silence.

"Luci... I'm begging you... please let me go." Ciana whispered sadly, her face having gone completely pale from the lack of oxygen getting to her brain, her hands loosening the little hold she was able to get on his own hand, her whole form going limp as she watched the demon through her eyes, where a single tear threatened to spill from them. The same eyes which held unbelievable amounts of pain in them as she watched the monster before her slowly take her life away from her with no remorse. And then he became plainly aware of the way she didn’t even try to conceal the hurt from her face- The vulnerability she never showed before now fully on display because of him. He felt his heart drop at the fragile look she gave him. "Ciana…” He whispered softly in a panic, immediately letting the girl go, her body hitting the ground with a heavy thud. Having no energy left in her, the girl laid still without much as uttering a cry of pain in acknowledgement of having been dropped. Fear taking over him, Lucifer reached out to check on her without thinking, only to be stopped by the angel as she whimpered at him. "Don't... don't touch me." She begged weakly as she tried to fight back the tears that threatened to leak out of her at any moment. Weakly and very slowly, the angel inched and backed further away from him, her back turned to him as she finally let the tears flow, her muted and constrained cries reverberating across the stone prison, sending a pang of hurt through the demon's heart at the pitiful way she tried to distance herself from him even in her weakened state. The way that the angel wasn't even letting herself cry freely in front of him despite the hurt she was in was enough to break even the coldest of hearts. Lucifer, nonetheless obediently did as she asked and let his hand drop to his side as he watched the girl in front of him in concern. Why did he feel concerned? He told her everything he wanted to didn’t he? He meant every word he had thrown at her, and his actions towards her were long coming to her for the pain she'd inflicted on him previously, so why… why did he feel so guilty?

Silence filled the dungeon, no one daring to move or utter a word in the suspenseful silence. Even the prisoners who normally were robust and loud at any given moment, didn’t dare to intervene, giving the two space. Not sure how long they stayed that way for, Lucifer started worrying as Ciana's body had stopped moving completely for a while, her sobbing also having had completely subsided. Just as he was about to check on her, Ciana finally shifted, slowly pushing herself from the ground and into a sitting position, turning to face the demon- her face completely void of emotions. Lucifer's eyes wander down from her face to the large red marks on her neck- the ones his hands had imprinted on her earlier. The demon teared his eyes away from them, heavy guilt bubbling in him.

"Ciana, about earlier-" The demon heard himself call out, hesitantly reaching for the angel, only to have her put up a hand in front of her, signaling for him to stop.

"Don't...I'm actually glad you spoke up about it. I was confused as to where we stood with each other, going back and forth in wonder if we were friends or not... But now I have my answer, now I'm finally aware of how you truly feel about me." Ciana said, a look of sadness washing over her features. "And don't worry, I won't bother you any further from now on." Ciana said, giving him a lopsided smile as two prison guards came up to them. "Miss, I'm sorry but I think your time allowed in here is done. Please follow me out." One of them said. Ciana nodded, wobbly getting onto her feet, taking the guard's extended arm gratefully for support after having noted her instability, most likely due to having overheard what had happened earlier. As the guard started leading her down the hallway and away from the demon they served, the girl suddenly paused- the fire burning from the torches held on the walls washing the girl in an orange tone, making her look more fierce and striking; giving the girl a harsh edge in comparison to her usual warm golden aura as she spoke to the demon. "I... I wasn't aware that I had caused you so much pain and nuisance, both back then and now, I'm sorry for that. But there's one thing I want to clear up first before we split off." She whispered softly to Lucifer, turning to look at him as she shared her memories with him.

_Ciana's parents tried in desperation at calming down the angel as she threw a tantrum, throwing her belonging all over the floor in her anger. "Honey, stop this, this isn't how you're supposed to behave." Her father said to her sternly. But young Ciana didn't care. "I don't want this! I want Luci! You promised me I would get to see him today." The girl cried, shaking off her parents' arms as they tried to grab her. "Ciana... You can see him some other time, right now there's more important matters to attend to. Remember that important man we were talking about earlier? Shepha? We're meeting with him soon, so we need you to be in your best behaviour." Her mother told her as she tried to get her daughter to sit down. But the angel retaliated, jumping off the bed and sprinting to the door of her room. "You promised me that yesterday, and the day before that, and the one before that! I can't miss today mom..." The angel cried in frustration, not understanding why her parents were so adamant at letting her go meet up with her best friend. "Oh honey... I'm sure Lucifer will understand if you can't make it today- plans between friends can be rearranged." Her mother said as she tried to calmly pick up her daughter. "You don't get it mom... I can't miss today... It's his birthday... and no one else cares or celebrates his birthday other than me and his mom." The girl cried, breaking down at the thought of her best friend being all alone as he waited for her. "His mom is gone now...No one cares for him anymore..." The girl wept into her mom's arms as she tightly held on to her. As Ciana found comfort in her mother's hug, she was barely aware of her parents exchanging a look between each other behind her back, and before she knew it, the angel lost complete consciousness, the day having completely passed before the girl could try to escape again._

Lucifer felt all the air in his chest leave him as the memories faded. Shocked, he turned to look at the angel starring at him with a blank expression on her face. "I wasn't lying. I never left you... I never wanted to leave you. While the only thing that kept me going all those years were memories with you and a possibility that we'd meet up again, you spent every single minute instead hating me... Life can be so cruel at times, can't it?" Ciana whispered to him before turning around and leaving with the guards, leaving the demon alone with his mind racing, trying to make sense at the mind changing revelation. Lucifer exhaled in disbelief- Ciana never left him on purpose, she never intended to hurt him, but he still did that to her nonetheless. He'd been holding her against something that she had taken no part of. The demon watched silently as the angel's form gradually got smaller until he couldn't see her anymore.

"She's an interesting soul, that girl..." One of the prisoners croaked out, whizzing as he laughed merrily in the silence set around them. But Lucifer paid no mind to them, his focus still on the girl and the new information he'd obtained. 

How do you mend something that you intended to destroy in the first place? Simple, you can't.


	7. Every Rose has its Thorns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Thank you everyone for being so patient with me as I wrote this new chapter because unfortunately for me, I had come across a really bad case of writer's block after the ending of the previous chapter. And the dumb thing is that I actually had a good idea where I wanted this chapter to go and planed for three small main plots for it, but as I started writing it, I realized that I am absolutely humanly incapable of writing decent lengthened chapters and only managed to write two of the planned plots before I realized I've hit the dreaded 20+ pages on Word again. I decided to again separate my writing into two chapters since it was so long, but I won't be uploading the second part until probably tomorrow or the day after because unfortunately university has started again for me. I'm not going to lie, I'm a very angsty styled writer, so I listened to a lot of sad songs as I wrote this. I'll link some of the songs I listened to here in case some of you want to listen along. Thank you again to everyone who's given me so much love and support the last episode, reading everyone's comments really made me tear up as I truly do appreciate everyone's words. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope to hear what you think of it soon.  
> -Harmony.

Songs: 

[Must Have Been the Wind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9EBm4-9isI&ab_channel=aparadisebird)

[I Liked You So Much, We Lost It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1CLvJW5mrE&ab_channel=aendelss)

[I Hate Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Icu0PyaFSvc&ab_channel=MrsSuperheroo)

* * *

"This is where we leave you." The guard leading Ciana told her as they escorted her to the prison's dark wooden front doors. The smokey tendrils of the ominous and scalding fires of Hell just outside the perimeters of the building reaching out to her, scorching her skin even from a distance. The girl nodded at the guard in gratitude as she released her grip from his arm she'd been holding for support. "Are you sure you don't need anyone to escort you back to the academy?" He asked as he exchanged a worried look with the other guard, only to earn a shake of the head from the angel. "I'm fine, thank you both, I don't think it'd be worth getting called out by your boss if he finds out you've helped me." She said, knowing well from her memories that Satan hadn't ever been the fondest person of hers, and she just knew that if he were to find out anyone aided her they would be severely punished for it. And seeing how much pain even his son was able to inflict on her, she really wasn't in the mood to mess with the king of Hell himself. Ciana was also aware that the guards were acting easy on her due to her status, afraid that if the angel uttered a word against them, the higher ups in Heaven would seek them out. The angel felt bad for having brought the two of them into her problems. No one was allowed to enter into the cells without personal permission from Satan himself, but the girl had used her connections to bribe them into letting her in as a last resort as desperation took over her. She knew they were stuck in a bad position, knowing if they helped her, Satan would unleash on them if he were ever to find out, while if they treated her too roughly and the Seraphs heard about it, then they would be in trouble as well for messing with a high ranked Seraph family. It was yet another demonstration of how much power and status Ciana held in her hands, power she was starting to deeply dislike as all her problems seemed to stem from her position. Ciana lost in thought took a wobbly step forward before crashing onto the ground, landing on all fours. Immediately the two guards sprang to help her up, but Ciana put up a hand to signal that she was fine. "I got it, don't worry." She said with a tired smile as she took in a deep breath and put all her remaining energy into getting back up, biting her tongue in an effort to stop herself from grunting in pain.

She wasn't going to break down again, at least not anywhere near Lucifer's vicinity- she wasn't going to give the demon any further satisfaction in knowing how much he actually broke her. With her head held up, Ciana took a step towards the doors when suddenly the second guard called out to her. "Miss, I believe this belongs to you." He said as he held out an engraved gold object in his hands. Seeing the familiar object before her, Ciana's eyes misted over at the sentiment it held for her. On instinct at seeing the familiar engraved gold object in his hands, she reached out to grab it, only to stop herself midway, pulling her hand away. Her smile faltering as she suddenly remembered the history behind it. While the guard held out the pendant out to her expectantly, she pulled back as she slowly shook her head. "You can keep it. I won't need it anymore." She finally uttered to the guard as she turned her back to it and continued on her way out of the prison, her face suddenly cold and frosty. The guards exchanged a look of confusion as they both looked at the object. "But Miss... this isn't just any object, please rethink it." The guard holding the golden item said in a hurry, quickly catching up to the girl and opening her hand, dropping the ornate object in her hand before tightly clasping her fingers around it- almost as if they were too scared to be caught with it. The girl stared at the item blankly for a moment.

"Right, thank you." She finally said monotonously as she nodded one more time to the guards as she walked out of the doors, the heat immediately engulfing the girl as a welcome back to the inner parts of Hell, a crude reminder of where she currently was. When Ciana finally heard the doors close heavily behind her, she finally let herself sink to the floor in exhaustion, all pretense at being fine leaving her. Everything in her was crying and begging for comfort, for some sort of relief from the pain it was in. But sadly nothing could aid her in the the moment as what hurt her at the moment weren't physical wounds, but emotional ones- the ones that felt as if thorns were prickling at you on the inside but were completely invisible and undetectable by anyone other than herself- as if she were suffering from phantom syndrome. And so she finally let loose, letting all her agony finally wash over her, no longer caring about restraining herself. The girl looked down at the golden item in her hands, tears forming as she took in the item she had cherished so lovingly for so long. Ciana closed her eyes and finally let her tears freely fall, tightly clutching the engraved pendant as she brought it to her chest, placing it right above her heart. How could something that brought her so much hope and love suddenly become so cold and end up becoming a haunting reminder of pure hurt? The angel's body shook as tears wrecked her frame, her shaky and uncontrolled crying being drowned out by the loud clashes of lava around her. Here in the land of suffering she let herself become another victim of its darkness, her cries wouldn't be heard here, her agony and sorrows were as common as the fire she was surrounded with. The angel sunk to her knees as she looked up through her tears at the blood red skies. Under it, her pain wasn't accounted or cared for, her torment was just an addition to the land of torment and agony. The girl gave out a laugh of disbelief at her situation. "Geralt will get a kick out this for sure... He was right, I regret coming here... I regret caring." She said as she felt another round of tears coming up. She was deeply in pain, her heart unable to give up its strangled cries, the tears leaving the angel's golden orbs pooling down her face as plentiful as a waterfall with an eternal bottom. She was absolutely pitiful, she knew that much.

She raised her arm to wipe away a few tears when she noticed the little control she had over her arm. Only then did it hit the girl how much she was shaking from the horrendous images she'd seen in the prison. And all of a sudden, horrid and gory images vividly flashed through the girl's mind- reminding her of the deep tortured looks the prisoners had given her as she made her way down the cells, leaving her in a shaking cold sweat. Suddenly feeling clammy and as if she were to throw up, the girl took in a deep breath of hot air, closing her eyes as she willed the images from reemerging. During the time she was looking and searching for Lucifer, she had tried her best at ignoring the prisoner's calls and tried to push through their grasps as they tried to get a hold of the girl. Only now that she was on her own with nothing other than her thoughts to accompany her did it dawn on her just how messed up the whole situation was, specially for someone like Ciana who'd never seen so much pain in one place.

She should have seen this was coming, should have at least foreseen that the demon would turn on her at some point after knowing from the start he no longer felt the same sentiments as she did, but deep in her heart she truly hoped that it was all just paranoia. She was so blinded with the small improving steps they were taking forward in their relationship that she blatantly decided to ignore her gut feeling that one day she'd regret entrusting in the demon and only end up hurt form her innocence and naïveté. And all that only lead the girl to find herself facing the full force of the consequences as she miserably cried her heart out in the middle of Hell. Had she been wrong to immediately jump to aid someone she cherished? Logic and everything she'd been taught about self sacrifice pointed towards no, but reeling back at the venomous words the demon had spewed at her with such ease made her question everything she thought she knew. Nothing good had come out of her coming to him, while he got to finally take his revenge out on her, she only ended up completely broken down- the confident girl she once knew herself being having completely shattered from the betrayal of the one she would give everything to.

Slowly, her sorrows subsided as she got lost in inner self pity; hurt and hate slowly creeping up and taking over her thoughts- completely engulfing the angel's mind. As the last of her tears dropped, the girl looked down at the golden object in her hands with a blank expression on her face- the hazel colouring in her eyes flickering to a darker shade as she felt her resentment cloud up her thoughts. In a fit of hurt, the girl through dark hooded lids looked over the familiar intricate engraving on the metal, turning it in her fingers as she let out a low chuckle. "You're right... feelings only weaken you." Ciana said with a twist of a corner of her lip as she calmly looked around her surroundings. Noticing the bubbling of hot lava and fire surrounding her, she crawled over to the nearest edge of the cliff the prison was on. Staring down at the bubbling red liquid below her, ignoring the scorching heat it radiated towards her, the girl extended the hand holding the pendant out to it- her body moving on its own as it zeroed in on dropping the pendant into the lava... edging her to rid of the cursed item in her hands.

Close... she was so close...

"Goodbye." She softly uttered as she started releasing the grip she had on the pendant, her eyes fixated on the bubbling red liquid below her...

"My, I would have never thought I'd ever see you in Hell ever again." A voice called out to her, breaking the trance Ciana was in. Ciana rapidly blinked as her surrounding suddenly cleared up and sharpened around her, bringing her out of her mental fog. The angel looked down at the lava in confusion before immediately putting away the locket and wiping away the last of her tears before turning around to look at the person behind her. Her heart stopping as she took in the demon in front of her. "Adimiron?" She asked in surprise, immediately standing up in her shock, only to immediately fall down again from her lack of strength.

"Whoa! Careful there. I didn't wait an eternity to be able to meet you again just to see you cripple before me." The demon chuckled as he gently helped the girl sit in a better position. The girl gaped at the man in front of her, taking in the familiar face she hadn't seen since her childhood, not even considering to care about how her image looked at the moment. "Oh, Shepha, it really is you!" She shouted in glee as she pulled the demon to her for a hug. Despite how weak the angel was at the moment, it seemed that the appearance of Adimiron had given her some momentary energy. The demon chuckled as he wrapped his own arms around the angel, softly patting her on the back. "Yes, yes... It's really good seeing you again Ciana. I never expected to find you down here again. How long has it been?" He asked, his eyes shinning from happiness as he pulled away from the girl to study her face. Ciana let out a happy laugh. "You're just calling me old. But it's nice to see you haven't gotten much older these last couple years." She said, playfully punching him on the arm, causing the demon to chuckle along with her. "I never implied that and you know it. Imagine the embarrassment of having grown so old you wouldn't have recognized me at all." He said as they both let their laughter settle.

"You've grown a lot Ciana, and beautifully nonetheless." He said, ruffling the girl's hair- a loving gesture that he had adopted for the little angel when she'd come over to hang out with Lucifer as a child. The angel smiled at him fondly. "You're a liar. I know I'm nowhere near presentable right now, even I'm afraid to look at my reflection right now." Ciana laughed, crinkling her nose as Adimiron ruffled her hair again. "Even better then, let's keep the image of young unkempt Ciana alive instead." The demon said fatherly as he extended a hand to help move some of the angel's stray hair back- only to momentarily pause in shock at the large purple bruise on her neck that easily showed itself against the angel's pale complexion. Ciana having momentarily forgotten about the incidence until noting the demon's change in expression gently lowered his hand, clasping it as she gave him a small smile. "It doesn't hurt." She calmly reassured him, combing her hair to the front so that most of it covered her neck. The demon quickly smiled at the girl, tearing his eyes away from the bruise.

"Of course." He said, not questioning the girl further as he already got a sense of what had happened in order for the girl to sustain such a bruise. The two sat down at the edge of the cliff, silently watching the waves of lava clash against the surrounding rocky terrain, a peaceful moment washing over the two. And for the first time since the angel had gotten down to the underworld, she finally felt some sort of ease. At least she knew that if she were to entrust her life to someone in Hell, Adimiron was that person to her. He never cared for her side or alienated her because of how different she was compared to all the demons that were around them. He always had treated Ciana with the same respect he'd shown Lucifer, even when at the time her family didn't hold any power or status, and in her eyes that was all she could ask for. Even now after so many years of lost contact he still treated her with the same respect. As the girl watched the ripples peacefully, she heard shuffling and movement coming from beside her. "Right...Come on, you must be tired. Let's get you some nice rest. As much as I don't agree with skipping classes to stroll through Hell's prison instead, I do believe that it won't do you well going back to the academy in such a state." The demon said as he stood up and brushed off the dust from his crisp and proper red and black suit- offering a hand out for the angel to take.

Ciana's smile faltered as she looked up at him in confusion. "You're...not going to ask me why I'm here?" She asked hesitantly, the same look of a nervous child caught taking their sibling's sweets by their parent showing on her face, only causing the demon to chuckle. "Why would I ask if I was the one to ask the school for permission for you to stay here for the weekend?" If an angel could die from a heart attack, this would certainly be the case for Ciana as she felt her heart completely stop beating for a second. Ciana visibly froze as she stared at the demon with wide eyes. There was no way she had heard him right. Had she lost her hearing momentarily? "It's really not funny to joke around about these things, Adimiron... My parents will absolutely loose it if they found out I left school grounds- much more if they find out I'm in Hell." But Winchesto simply smiled at the girl. "Already talked with the school into not leaking out any information regarding your little adventure. You did a pretty decent job at getting out unnoticed. Other than this...Evan? Even guy, who both Misselina and Geralt had mentioned seeing you with prior to your escape. We tried looking for him, but we all seemed to not have any luck finding him. But I'm guessing it shouldn't matter much since he seemed to have not uttered a word to anyone else." Winchesto said as he watched the angel's eyebrow furrow deeper by the second. "Adimiron... I don't think that's a good idea-" She started saying, only to be stopped by the demon as he shook his head at her. "You're not going to decline my invitation after I personally had to go through all the trouble of speaking and convincing your school administrators to let me take you right?" He asked her with a chuckle. The girl felt panic bubbling within her again, right now the last thing she wanted was to be stuck in Hell with Lucifer as a constant reminder of the events that had just taken place to her for the following days- she could barely hold herself together right now, how would she possibly be able to make it past a whole weekend around him? "I really appreciate your-" The angel started making an excuse when the doors behind them creaked open, and the last person she wanted to see emerged out of them, his focus immediately landing on the pair of them. The angel closed her eyes as she turned away from the demon, cursing at her bad luck. _Just kill me now..._ The girl begged in her head.

"Ah, Lucifer! Perfect timing. I was just heading back to the house. Why don't you come along?" The demon asked with a bright smile. Lucifer without showing any interest or even throwing a glance over at the girl in acknowledgement, walked up to them with an air of supremacy. "Let's go then." He said, opening his wings as he got ready to take flight. The angel bit down on her lower lip tightly, looking down at the sandy ground. So that's the way he wanted to act about it: to give her the cold shoulder and simply pretend that he didn't see her just as when he had at the academy on her first few days. She wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. She had to give the demon credit for so easily disregarding the events that occurred between the two, it was truly amazing seeing how well he was going about everything while the angel felt like her whole world had fallen apart. Maybe being a heartless jerk had its advantages after all.

"Right, come on Ciana, it's this way." The older demon said as he started started pulling the girl up from her sitting position, only to have her stay rooted to where she sat, slowly shaking her head. "I'm not coming." She told him quietly as she pulled back her arm from him, keeping her eyes glued to the waves below her. A silence fell over the three of them as Adimiron's smile faltered. "Ciana... don't be difficult please, I'll-"

"She's not coming." Lucifer interrupted. The older demon stared at his younger master for a second before interjecting again. "Lucifer, she's not in the right state to head back to the academy, and you know that."

"I don't care. She can rest here as long as she wants but should head on back to the academy." Lucifer commanded. This should have been the end of the conversation, but to everyone's surprise, Adimiron stood his ground and contradicted his master's command. "She's coming with us and that is final, Lucifer. We both know she won't make it to the school because of her state and the least we can do is offer her some accommodation until she's feeling better." He said authoritatively as he looked into the demon's eyes, sending him a warning in it without alerting the girl about it. Lucifer clenched his fists in agitation, letting out a puff of annoyance but otherwise saying nothing on the matter as he flapped his dark wings, taking off first, not bothering to wait for the two to follow after him.

Ciana bit down on her lower lip at the unbelievable turn of events, wondering if it would be better for her to jump into the pool of lava below her than to go over to the demon's house, which truly at this point seemed worst than the prison itself. Why, oh why did she get herself in this stupid situation? She looked up at the sky and whispered a quiet prayer to Shepha to help her out of this mess. Winchesto chuckled at the girl's concentrated look, shaking his head in amusement. "Come on, I'm sure Shepha has more important things to worry about than you spending some time at Satan's house. Besides, you'll have me to protect you, you do trust me, don't you?" Ciana groaned at his words. Maybe if she'd stopped for a second to think this whole rescue mission thoroughly instead of jumping the gun, she would have avoided this whole mess. She made a mental note that stupidity was something that she needed to work on when she finally made it back home- that is, if she ever makes it back. Seeing as no miraculous rescue mission was being sent to her, Ciana sighed in resignation, standing up and mumbling a quiet 'let's go' to the demon before following him grumpily to Lucifer's castle. Great, just great.

As they landed in front of the familiar house before them, Ciana was immediately hit with a wave of nostalgia. Even after so many years having had passed since she'd last personally looked at the home, it still looked the same- as if she'd never missed a day in it at all. She stood rooted in her spot as she gaped at the building that once used to be her second home, a wave of emotions washing over her, conflicting her in whether she should feel happy or sad at finally being back. Adimiron gently pushed the girl forward to the front doors, only to suddenly stop her before getting to the threshold. "Ciana, wait. Put this over yourself first." The demon said as he took off his jacket and gently wrapped it around the angel, trying his best to conceal the large mark around her neck. They were bound to disappear soon, but for the meantime as they were still visible, it wouldn't hurt concealing them from the servants as rumours could start spreading. As they entered the great hall, they noticed that three maids were standing before them at the ready, bowing their heads in respect to Adimiron. Off to the side, Lucifer stood with his arms crossed in front of him, rolling his eyes in annoyance as he was obligated to tradition to welcome the guest as well. But honestly at the moment Ciana wanted nothing more than to run out the doors as a jolt of nostalgia washed over her all at the same time, overwhelming her.

"We welcome our dear guest to our master's home. Please make yourself at home." The middle servant said as she bowed before Ciana, her red hair pulled back into a tight bun just as it had been all those years back. "It's nice to see you again, Ava." Ciana softly said as she felt a smile appear on her lips. The red head froze for a second before she slowly looked up at Ciana, fully taking her in for the first time. "Ciana, is that really you?" She asked in surprise. The angel nodded before she threw herself at the demon, closing her eyes as she let her familiar hug engulf her, surprising everyone. "Oh my... how's that possible? You're not a child anymore." She cried out in surprise as she pulled back to study the girl she'd babysat alongside her master. Ciana could feel Lucifer's piercing eyes on her as he judged her, but at the moment, he was the least of her worries. For all she cared he could stare all he wanted, he wasn't going to take everything away from her- she'll find her little light of happiness in this place one way or another.

Adimiron cleared his throat loudly, bringing everyone's attention back to him. "Ava, please be a dear and get the girl something to change into. Show her to her guest bedroom as well while you're at it, please." The demon ordered. The red head immediately snapped back to her position before nodding. "Of course." She said as she eagerly pulled the girl with her. The two male demons watched silently as Ciana walked up the stairs and into her guest bedroom before Lucifer turned to the older of the two, his face immediately growled ferociously. "What were you possibly thinking bringing her here?! What do you think will happen when my father catches on with your stupid mindless plans?" Lucifer hissed at the older demon, his red eyes becoming more dangerous as he looked at the demon, grabbing onto his collar in a fit of anger. Calmly, Adimiron pulled Lucifer's hands away from him, fixing his collar as he looked at him unfazed, almost as if he expected the demon to pull that stun the moment the angel was out of earshot. Adimiron turned to the other two servants and asked them to leave them alone, which they did hurriedly, the spacious room suddenly filling with hostility between the two males. "So what is this great plan of yours? Getting the stupid angel killed? Will you be happy when you have her blood on your hands? You know how my father feels about her." Lucifer growled angrily, raking his fingers through his black hair in frustration over the whole situation.

The older demon calmly took a seat on one of the couches in the room, pouring himself a cup of tea from the tray prepared and left on the coffee table. "It wasn't my plan to ask her to stay- it was your father who asked me to do it." Silence fell over the two as Lucifer looked at him in confusion, not understanding what he was getting at. "My... my father?" He asked in disbelief. "Why would he do that?" Adimiron looked at him with a knowing look as he stirred some sugar into his tea. "You know why." He said simply, watching calmly as the young demon started pacing around the room in irritation, one hand on his waist while the other he placed over his mouth. Of course he did, this was his father's way of keeping an eye on him- to catch any slip ups he might have when surrounded by the angel to prove his point that she meant more to him than he led on. Lucifer scoffed in disbelief. "He really plots for everything..." Adimiron nodded in agreement, carefully glancing around to make sure no one could overhear the two of them before he ushered Lucifer to come closer as he spoke to the younger demon in a low voice. "Truthfully I wasn't a big fan of his plan, but thinking it carefully, if anything, she'll be safer here with us. Your dad won't dare do anything to her as long as you don't show she affects you at all- he's only letting her stay here as a test of how weak she makes you."

Lucifer scoffed. "I already made it clear to him she means nothing to me, what makes him think I'll say anything different now?" The demon asked annoyed. Winchesto stared silently at the demon, studying his expressions closely. "If she meant nothing to you, then you would have left her to fend for herself at your father's mercy. After all, she's the one he wants, isn't she?" When Lucifer didn't say anything, Winchesto leaned back against the couch, a corner of his mouth twitching in amusement at the younger demon's lack of words. "You drove her out on purpose, didn't you?" Lucifer laughed at the older demon, shaking his head in bewilderment at the older demon's accusation. "You think I'd do that? I'm sure you saw the large mark on her neck, it's not exactly subtle- I did that to her. I nearly killed her myself Winchesto, I was so close to doing it... So why would I save her when all I feel for her is pure hatred?" Winchesto sat silently as he stirred the tea in his cup pensively. "Your father's ways of teaching you- they're very manipulative, Lucifer. I'm sure he's told you some things to pit you against Ciana. And seeing how riled up you are, I think his methods worked. But I think that part of you somehow started doubting his words- was it something she personally told you that contradicted everything he's told you? I don't know, but I do know that part of you understood she was telling the truth, and part of you believes that she doesn't deserve being hunted by your father. And maybe, just maybe- you realized it before you could inflict more permanent wounds to her. Either that, or seeing her being hurt by your own doings somehow snapped something within you. And now you're scared of both how much she's affecting you and how much your hate for her has hurt her." Lucifer stayed silent, not daring to say anything in the matter. Sometimes he truly hated Winchesto with his stupid interest in mortal psychology. No matter how some mortals and immortals said it was all baloney, that sh*t could sometimes be extremely accurate.

Before the two could say anything more, the guest bedroom opened, drawing both the men's attention up to the second floor as they waited for whoever it was to walk out the door. Slowly and a bit hesitantly, Ciana walked out of the shadows and into the hallway, consciously rubbing her arms at the amount of exposed skin she was showing in her new dress. Completely opposite to the long pale flowing dresses the girl usually don, she was currently wearing a striking red high-necked short laced dress, showing off the girl's figure that normally was hidden behind her long dresses. The red seeming more alluring against the girl's pale complexion, bringing out the bright golden tones of the girl's eyes. Lucifer felt his breath hitch in his throat as he took in the angel's new look, completely entranced and physically unable of tearing his eyes away from her as she carefully made her way down the stairs, biting on her lower lip in concentration as she tried to make her way down in her new pair of heels. Somehow it seemed that the angel's aura seemed more alluring than it normally already was, she wasn't glowing in her usual pure golden way, but she was definitely bewitching in some way, and it completely mesmerized the young demon.

Adimiron smirked knowingly as he watched the younger demon's reaction to Ciana's new look in amusement. Standing up and pushing past his young master, he stopped at the bottom of the stairs and offered the angel an arm as she descended the last steps. "You look stunning, Ciana. I think you should start wearing red more often, it really suits you. Now, come on, let's get you some dinner. I'm sure you're hungry after your long and tiring day?" The angel smiled at him as she nodded at him thankfully. "Yes, that'd be appreciated." She said, finally looking up and into Lucifer's eyes, her smile immediately faltering as she looked at him. Turning away without saying a word to him, she nodded at Adimiron to start guiding her to the dining hall. As they walked by the demon, Adimiron stopped briefly to whisper to him. "Don't let your father's manipulations take away your happiness, Lucifer. Happiness doesn't last forever." He said before he escorted the angel to the other room.

* * *

For the majority of the night, the girl couldn't close her eyes for longer than a few minutes before flashbacks of her near death experience intruded her mind every now and then, frightening the girl so much that ultimately she decided to stay awake through the night to avoid the relentless visions form emerging every time she closed her eyes. Although the physical mark of the demon's assault had completely healed by now, the psychological impact and memories still remained freshly imprinted in her mind- constantly replaying themselves in a never ending cycle, causing the girl to constantly relive through the pure dark hatred the demon showed towards the angel through his venomous red eyes as he mercilessly watched her soul leave her body. The memory alone causing the girl to shiver as she could mentally feel the demon's grip tightening around her throat again. Wrapping the blankets securely around herself, she sat on the bed with her back pressed against the headboard as she stared out the window across from her into the never changing blood red sky. How long had she been in Hell for now? She wasn't able to tell as the skies didn't give any indication of time having passed at all.

"You're a light, Ciana... don't let the darkness dim your shine... You're brightness, chase the darkness away, don't let it consume you." Ciana recited the words her parents always told her whenever she had a breakdown as a child, trying to find comfort within them. She took in a shaky breath as she tried to calm down her haunting thoughts. Unconsciously the angel touched her neck, feeling around for physical evidence that the incident with Lucifer had happened at all. Because as much pain as the demon had inflicted on her, for some reason the angel still couldn't bring herself to hate him. She hoped that if a physical mark was left imprinted somewhere on her body, she'd at least be able to find some way to resent him... But deep down she knew that even if psychological scars were visible through her skin, she still wouldn't have the heart to hate on Satan's son because no matter how much Lucifer hurt her, and no matter how much she wanted to hate him, in the end the demon was so deeply engraved in her heart that she would never be capable of making herself fully hate him.

And she resented herself for that.

The whole experience at being back at Lucifer's home was not at all what she'd expected it to be. For one, she thought for sure she'd run into Satan at some point during her first day in the house, but to her surprise, and perhaps relief, he didn't show himself at all. And as welcoming as everyone made her presence seem to be, she knew that there was something more to her welcome in the house. After all, she knew for certain that both the men of the home didn't find pleasure in keeping her around. And the more time Ciana spent aimlessly walking around the grounds, the more on edge she felt, almost expecting someone to jump at her at any moment if she let her guard down.

Unable to sleep at all and feeling claustrophobic in the dark room where the only light illuminating it was the dark blood colour of the sky as they seeped in through the window, the girl got up and out of the bed, carefully walking down the hallways in an effort to not wake anyone up. As a precaution to prevent anyone from finding her, she closed her eyes as turned off her energy as well- The girl mentally shaking her head in disbelief. Who knew? Even down in Hell she was still running away from everyone and hiding behind her fears. After wandering around the grounds for a bit, tip toeing around in silence, the girl finally stumbled across a lonely and closed off garden at the back of the castle. Quietly the girl walked down the pathway between dark and bewitching looking exotic flowers as she made her way to the bench at the end of the path. Sitting down, she brought her knees to her chest as she closed her eyes, letting the essence of the blooming flowers engulf her, allowing her raging thoughts to slow down. Although the flowers and the arrangement of the garden were completely different from the one back home, just being surrounded by the intoxicating scents around her made her feel the same relief she felt as when she'd pulled off the same stun back home whenever she wanted to be alone. The angel had always found comfort in being surrounded by flowers as their existence and alluring scents took away the attention from her, because when in between them, she got so lost in their enchanting scents that momentarily she'd forget about all her problems. In a garden full of beautiful flowers blooming in every colour around her, she was no longer the center of attention- no longer feeling expected to be the perfect girl she was forced to always be. While most girls wished to be called beautiful in comparison to flowers, Ciana only hoped that the flowers would outshine her. Because deep down, she resented being this perfect persona she always put on, because deep within her she knew she was only a fake.

Being back in the house she'd spent so much of her childhood at was affecting her in ways she couldn't completely comprehend and didn't expect. While part of her relished in the fact she was back, walking down the familiar yet foreign halls only reminded her of how much things had changed over time- how much _she'd_ changed over time. She no longer felt as if she belonged there, not like the way she did when she was a child running around carelessly with Lucifer down the halls, laughing and creating laughter from the demons and angels around them. As she walked down the cold and empty corridors now, she couldn't help but feel as if she were an intruder making her way around unwanted. Even though everyone embraced her warmly when they had recognized her, she couldn't help but feel they all held restrains and hesitations towards her- as if they no longer knew how to interact with her. Her whole golden and bright demeanor completely contrasting and sticking out against the dominant red and blacks of Hell. Seeing how much of an angel presence the girl now carried and presented herself with, she could see how it made everyone look at her differently. As a child she wasn't forced to represent and uphold a certain image of a side, and was free to hang out with demon kids without many restrains, but as she grew older and spent more time surrounded by angels (not to mention ones held at high positions), she had unknowingly become the poster child of a model angel citizen, dividing herself from the demonic side of the world. And being brought back down to Hell after being kept locked in Heaven's domain for the majority of her youth, as if rudely having being woken up from a blissful slumber, she finally realized how much hostility the two sides held towards the other. Seeing how differently everyone looked at her now because of the side she stood on, suddenly the only thing she wanted was to simply blend in.

The girl brushed a finger against the bright white pedals of the single flower before her- just like her, in a place full of darkness, their pureness stuck out like a sore thumb. The girl envied the flower, at least it stood up proudly against every other flower in the garden, embracing its unique beauty. Ciana on the other hand could only see her flaws and her impurities the more time she spent in solidarity with her thoughts. "I wish I were as strong willed as you." She mumbled at the flower quietly.

Hearing shuffling behind her, Ciana immediately dropped her hand from the flower as she turned to look behind her, her demeanor stiffening when she noticed Lucifer standing before her. The demon stared at the girl silently as he leaned against a lamp post near her, but ultimately leaving distance between the two of them. The two stood facing each other, neither in a hurry to be the first to start the conversation or break the silence between them. The occasional crash of a lava wave and the faint rumble of a thunderstorm brewing somewhere beyond the castle walls the only sounds keeping them from being completely drowned out by silence. As they silently regarded each other, something dawned and became clear to Ciana as she finally got a good look at the male demon before her for the first time- not simply since their last encounter in the cell, but since their fated re-encounter at the academy: They no longer were the same careless kids they once were. Somewhere along their lives the two had become independent from each other, and along that path the bond that held them together at one point had eventually died along with the ghosts of their younger selves. And without realizing it, the two had become grown ups completely unfamiliar with each other. As Ciana sat there under the bloody sky, taking in the red-eyed inked demon before her, it finally dawned on her that the demon in front of her was now a complete stranger to her.

Eventually the demon's lip twitched into a smirk as he folded his arms over his chest, casting a quick glance around the somber looking garden, almost as if it were the first time he had stepped into it. "Of course the precious angel would pick the garden out of all places in the palace, how-".

"Pretentious? So I've heard before." Ciana finished for the demon as she unfurled herself and sat up straighter on the bench, turning to watch as the demon looked around the flowerbeds with interest. "What are you doing here?" Ciana finally asked after seeing how the demon wasn't making any effort at explaining his sudden visit and interrupting the girl's alone time.

"It seems I live here if you've forgotten, your highness. That's what I'm doing here." Lucifer answered with the raise of an eyebrow as he shifted his focus back to the girl, amused by her question.

The girl only reacting with a cold look. "I meant, what are you doing wasting your time standing in front of me instead of doing whatever it is you'd actually rather be doing? I thought your plan was for us to ignore each other and make it through the weekend before moving on with our separate lives when we got back to the academy. Or was I wrong on that?" The girl asked, ignoring the demon's previous attempt at a joke.

The demon silently stared into the angel's golden eyes, his face void of emotions as he tried deciphering the angel's uncharacteristically cold attitude. Her golden aura seemingly dimmer than it normally was, unusual considering how brightly Ciana usually shone even against the bright skies of Heaven. The usual spark of brightness she normally carried so easily with her and that had been the bane of the demon's existence at a point in time not so long ago, was somehow lost somewhere deep within her. And instead, something much darker and dangerously enthralling seeped though the girl's golden eyes as the angel patiently waited for his reply, causing the demon to frown slightly, faintly recalling he'd felt that same odd energy in her before.

"I'm here as a warning." The demon finally said, breaking his silence as he tore his eyes away from the angel's, and instead focused on the message he meant to rely to her. "You shouldn't be running around so freely, unlike what you think, this place isn't the same as the one from your memories. Don't forget who's house this is, there's people constantly watching your every move here." The demon said as he studied the girl in front of him, expecting the girl to momentarily loose her cold attitude and be slightly frightened by his words. But Ciana only stared back just as coldly, completely unfazed by the preposition that Satan himself was keeping an eye on her every move. "So pretty much what I've grown under my whole life. Got it." The angel said indifferently as she leaned back against the stone bench. "Is that all?" She asked the demon.

The demon let out a huff of annoyance as the girl looked at him calmly. Was she purposely provoking him? Why did he even bother trying to warn her and risk getting into his father's bad grace again if this was how she would act about it? Never had he hated his father's left hand man so much before. Winchesto definitely had gotten under his skin with his stupid parental talk, somehow managing to guilt trip Lucifer into believing he was responsible for the angel being stuck in Hell with him. "I don't think you heard me correctly, angel. Your thoughtless tactics of going around MIA aren't going to fly well here, not when my father has asked to keep an eye on your every move here. What do you think will happen if Winchesto is unable to get to you before my father does?"

The angel stared at the demon with an unreadable expression as she folded her arms over her chest, shaking her head in disbelief at the demon. "I just don't get what you're getting out of this... You can stop acting like you're looking out for me, Lucifer- We're both aware you're incapable of caring for anyone other than yourself, you made that clear back in the prison. I just don't get who you're trying to please with this act. Or are you expecting us to go back to pretending that nothing happened down at the cell? Because I'll make it clear right now that I'm not playing this stupid game of hot and cold again." Ciana said as she got up from the bench, intending to walk up the path and distance herself from the demon.

"You just don't understand the severity you're in, do you? I'm not playing here, your highness. My father has plans- no, more like traps set up for us, so it'd do us all a favour if you could-". The demon started saying as he stepped in front of the girl, preventing her from leaving the garden, but never got to finish as he got cut off by the angel.

"Then leave me out of your dad's problems, I don't want to get involved with anything involving you and your family anymore. Besides, weren't you the one who told me to stop prying into everyone else's personal matters? Well this sounds like a personal matter if I've ever heard one, so I'll see myself out of this one." The angel snapped at him, annoyed at the demon's hypocrisy when he'd spend so much effort getting the point across to the angel that she only messed things up whenever she got involved. "I don't know what you and your dad are planning, letting me stay here for the weekend when I know fully well how both of you feel towards me- I'm not completely clueless as to not spot when someone is plotting something, and I don't intend on being a piece in your game." Ciana said through stilted eyes as she pushed herself past the demon.

Lucifer chuckled darkly at the angel's words, anger quickly building up within him at the absurdity of the situation. He didn't expect to gain much more than a measly thank you from the angel for his heads up, but to be completely ignored and disregarded by her? This was another level of bullsh*t. This was what he got for trying to do something chivalrous, how absolutely f*cking stupid of him to expect any good outcome out of it. "Of course you'll turn your back when things get ugly, that's so you, your highness. Go ahead, run away from everything again just like you always do." He hissed, turning around to watch the girl walk up the path leading outside the garden.

At his words the girl abruptly stopped in her tracks, turning to face the demon as a fire ignited in her eyes, the angel letting out a bitter laugh between her lips. "You've got it wrong. I'm not running away from anything. This is just me realizing that my priorities have changed, and I'm finally seeing that I placed you too highly on the list the last couple of centuries- and that was a huge waste of time on my part seeing as you'll never prioritize anyone other than yourself in your life. It's a mistake I'm coming to regret and don't plan on repeating again. So please do us both a favour and leave me alone so we can both finally be f*cking done with each other!" The girl hissed at him, her eyes darkening and her golden aura flickering as she glared at the demon- pure anger pumping through her veins. Having had enough of the demon before her, Ciana stormed around in anger, pushing away at the garden's door with a bit too much force.

But before she could leave, the demon roughly grabbed onto her wrist, forcefully turning her around giving her no choice but look back up at him.

He hated it, he hated how the f*cking angel seemed to always get under his skin with the barest of efforts, he hated how no matter how hard he tried at ignoring her, she'd always end up taking away all of his attention. He hated how easily the angel made him loose control over his thoughts and emotions whenever it regarded her, and he absolutely detested how Ciana had been the only thing he's thought of the last couple of days. Lucifer hated every single bit of the angel.

But what he hated most about Ciana was how she made him care. Because the girl that had created the frozen heart within him- the one responsible for all the hate and trust issues he held against the world, was simultaneously the girl that held the key to thawing it. And unknowingly without being aware of the power she had over the demon, she had already started melting the ice surrounding his heart.

"You might want to turn your energy back on, the staff will find it odd if they can't find you for much longer." He calmly told the girl as gently tucked a stray hair behind the girl's ear, confusing the girl with his sudden warmth towards her. Despite knowing and being aware of the consequences of being caught showing attachment towards the angel out in the open, at the moment he was willing to risk it all as he allowed himself to momentarily become vulnerable and worry for her. Because as they stood there face to face in the middle of the neglected garden his mother had specifically built for the angel when she'd mentioned the beautiful flowers that she'd seen grow on Earth, he finally realized how much the girl actually meant to him, and how much he was starting to care for her again. And it was because of that same reason that he pulled himself back, dropping the angel's hand abruptly as he pushed distance between the two of them. Because Lucifer knew that although he was willing to risk anything for her now, the one thing he wouldn't risk would be the girl's safety, and unfortunately his desire for her was the one thing he had to exchange to keep her safe from his father.

"You're doing that again... You're confusing me with your hot and cold attitude again..." Ciana whispered in a barely audible voice as she shook her head in disbelief as she backed towards the garden's entrance, her eyes trained on the demon's sudden cold face. "I'm... don't look for me again." The girl said with a hurt expression clearly showing on her face as she turned around and ultimately left the demon alone, slamming the garden gates behind her.

Ciana wanted to hate him, she really did. She was sick and tired of being mentally manipulated by the demon every time they came across each other.But despite how many times the demon managed to hurt her, she just couldn't bring herself to hate him, at least not fully. But with time, she was sure she could learn to feel indifferent towards him- Slowly she would learn to feel nothing towards Lucifer anymore, and today would be the first step towards that path.


	8. The Plot Thickens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh, so many things to say! First of all, I'm so absolutely stunned and thankful for every single comment and kudos you guys have left me the last chapter. It's absolutely amazing sitting down and reading through all your words, and I am grateful for every single one of them- you guys are the reason why I continue to publish my works after all. Secondly, I'm sorry this chapter had been delayed, it seems I've forgotten how tiring university life can be, but nonetheless I really hope you guys enjoy it. This chapter is also pretty long, so I hope it makes up for the long wait period. I'm actually so excited to finally publish this chapter though, this has been one of the first scenarios that I've fully thought out before I started writing the fanfic, and I just had to take the time to make it as good as I could since it's so integral to the rest of the story. Please do keep leaving comment and kudos if possible, I do love reading every single reply <3 Thank you for your endless love,  
> -Harmony.

Lucifer's jaw tightened as he watched the angel walk away from him, frustration eating at him at the situation they were in. Ever since she'd shown herself at the academy his whole life had become a complete mess. Why was he letting a girl that had meant the absolute barest to him at one point become his weakness? Why was he letting her ruin his life when he had all the power in the world to stop her? Why did he let her? Frustrated, the demon let out a heavy sigh before he went to sit on the bench, only to stop when he heard a loud crunch coming from under him, breaking him from his thoughts. Glancing down, he frowned as he took in a lone withered and dry white flower laying at the base of the stone bench.

* * *

Ciana let out a sigh she'd unknowingly been holding back when she was sure she was away from prying eyes, her demeanor deflating as she made her way out of the garden gates. Why did Lucifer have to make everything harder by appearing in front of her? Wouldn't it be easier on both of them if they didn't come face to face with each other during these couple of days? Surely with such a huge house it would be more possible stumbling into dead ends instead of each other. So why was he suddenly seeking her out when he was the one who made it clear he wanted nothing to do with her anymore? And then with the sudden caring attitude before he completely switched back to the cold-hearted demon she'd gotten to know all too well- what was that all about?

Lost in her thoughts, the girl didn't notice where she was heading, completely unaware she'd strayed and had walked off the path leading to the castle, and instead unknowingly wandered into a forest composed of a bare and ominous looking cluster of trees. Feeling the hem of her dress catching onto something, the girl glanced down to see her dress having snagged onto an exposed tree root. Kneeling down to release herself from the root's hold on her, the girl seemingly froze- An overwhelmingly familiar feeling of being watched overcoming her. Slowly, the girl looked around her, peering around the trees and clearing for a sign of a figure or someone's energy, only to once more come up empty. The girl swallowed as a flashback of the incident back at the academy's halls entered her mind, instilling fear within her. Whatever it was at the academy couldn't possibly have followed her all the way down to Hell right? Raising herself in a hurry, the girl turned around in an attempt at heading back to the castle, only to stop short as she looked around her in a panic, unsure of where she stood and having no clue as to where she'd come from. She felt the pit of her stomach drop when she realized that she probably hadn't paid attention to her surroundings while consumed in her thoughts regarding the demon. And seeing as she wasn't able to detect anyone's energies nearby, not even Lucifer's, it also meant no one else could sense hers.

She was on her own.

And then out of nowhere, through the dead silence of the forest a small voice called out to her, so softly at first that the girl initially ignored it as the whispers of the wind through the hollow trees. Or at least she did until the voice took on more of a humanistic voice, rooting the girl in shock as it gradually became louder, leered the girl to pay attention to it. The girl's heartbeat quickened, but oddly not due to fear, but of a weird recognition she felt towards the voice. Wisfully, the voice called on the girl to listen to it, almost as if crying to be heard. Despite the girl not being able to make out any coherent words, somehow she had the sense that it wanted her to follow it. The angel looked around the trees, trying to locate the source of the disturbance, but beyond the twisted tree branches and lifeless grounds, she found herself alone. As she stood rooted in her spot, the voice started becoming distorted, as if being pulled from her, quickly becoming harder and harder to hear, but nonetheless washing the girl in a sense of forloning, pulling at Ciana's heartstrings as it urged her to follow it. She wasn't able to describe the feeling she got as she intently listened to the ghostly voice- it was all new to her while also oddly familiar as it filled the girl with a sudden pang of despair and agony.

Dropping everything and without much thinking, the girl quickly followed after the voice, afraid she'd lose it before she could figure out why she felt so attached to it. Almost as if under a spell, the girl blindly ran towards it, everything beyond the source of the voice not mattering to her as she let it carry her wherever it wanted. Parting through the thick cluster of branches, the girl hiked up her dress in a desperation at having an easier time making it through the forest, the worry of finding her way back not having crossed her mind at all as she got deeper beyond the heart of the blackened forest. Without noticing, the girl started running faster as an unmatched feeling of urgency took over her senses, propelling her forward. The never ending red sky above her and the endless thickets of branches that reached at her from all directions made it seem as if she were running through a never ending maze, and despite the girl tripping multiple times and the branches scratching at the girl's skin as she carelessly ran across the forest, leaving behind cuts all over her body, she didn't stop until she passed through the last of the cluster of trees, stopping just at the clearing as she spotted a small unkempt building just outside of the trickle of trees.

Breathing heavily, Ciana took in the discolored look of the multi-storied brick building standing solemnly against the backdrop of an enclosed metal fencing, indicating the end of the castle grounds. Its fenced up windows and unkempt looking exterior making the place look like a prison cell. As Ciana leaned against a tree to catch her breath as she took in the neglected building before her, the world around suddenly became static, flickering on and off before her vision became completely black.

Ciana's heart plummeted in her chest at the sudden loss of her vision, prompting the girl to give a yelp of surprise as she felt around her blindly, the fear of suddenly losing her vision causing mass panic within the girl. Ciana felt herself trip over a tree root from her lack of vision, stumbling onto the dry ground unable to see or know what was going around her. Ciana felt tears of fear build up as she aimlessly crawled on the ground, backing herself against a tree trunk as her only source of support. And although she was in a clearing out in the open, she felt trapped due to her sudden lack of senses. She felt helpless, completely powerless as she sat there blindly, no way of knowing what awaited her and completely unable to fend for herself if something were to come for her. She felt herself close her eyes and start praying for Shepha or anyone else to come help her when suddenly a gentle voice called to her, and almost as if from the flick of a switch, instantly subsided her panic and fears as a feeling of comfort and reassurance completely enveloped her, overwhelming and taking over any fear she'd felt before.

 _You're safe with me..._ a young distorted voice called out to her soothingly. _There's nothing to fear, I'm here- I won't let anyone hurt you._

And then through the darkness, a sad pair of golden eyes eventually materialized between the angel's blackened vision, looking at her unblinkingly- a pair of eyes that seemingly she felt she'd known before, and inwardly she felt as if a piece of her she didn't know existed was looking back at her. Ciana's breath caught in her throat as for some reason her eyes started tearing up at the visual of the sad eyes. The girl sniffled, bringing her attention to the quiet sobs that had silently made their way down her face. Ciana frowned as she gently touched her wet cheeks, bewildered as to why she was crying at all. But before she could ponder much more, the black world she was in started dispersing, colours and shapes rearranging around her again, and slowly her vision came back to her. And as she looked up, taking in the red world around her with her restored vision, a sudden ghostly child figure appeared before her, its golden eyes watching the girl silently as it stood between the building and her- the same pair of eyes that Ciana had envisioned. Before Ciana had much time to process what she was seeing, the figure turned around and ran towards the building, leaving the girl alone at the treeline.

Panic rose through the girl as she quickly sprinted after the ghostly figure, fear of losing it propelling her forward. The girl watched as the figure made it to the front doors of the run down building before turning around and throwing her a look before passing through the wooden doors. Stopping right outside of the door to the building, Ciana reached out a hand to turn the knob, the golden eyes flashing in her mind giving her a small nod in encouragement for her to proceed through the door. Unafraid, the angel opened the surprisingly unlocked door, and threw it wide open as she entered the pitch black building. As she took a step into the dark building, mustiness, heavy dust, and the smell of rotting floorboards reached her nose, causing the girl to cough a couple of times as she tried unsuccessfully at fanning away the dust around her. Unaccustomed to the darkness surrounding her, the girl overlooked where she was walking, stepping on something soft and squishy as she walked through the front doors. Looking down and taking a closer look as her eyes tried adjusting to the dark, the angel managed to make out she'd walked over a few dozen tiny shoes at the doorstep. Putting out a hand, the angel willed a sphere of golden light to appear on her palm. Using the new light source, Ciana bent down and studied the disregarded shoes closely, and upon it she realized that there were probably over fifty pairs- all of them made for children, a few scarce ones fitted for teenagers. Cautiously taking a step over them, the girl quietly continued into the building, noticing disregarded worn down toys littering the floor all across the room. Taking a good look around her she assumed it was a play room or a living room.

Just as she was about to walk further into the house and into another room, a window seat off to the side overlooking the ominous looking forest abruptly caught her attention. And as if hypnotized, Ciana gravitated towards it as her gaze fell upon the dulled down cushions on the seat- a sense of nostalgia playing with her heart despite the girl knowing she'd never seen it before. And just like that, as the girl looked up and peered through the dusty window towards the forest where Satan's castle could be seen proudly looming over it, a thousand flashing images materialized around her, flashing back and forth in ultra speed in a blinding white light while simultaneously thousands of voices swarmed at her, her vision and hearing clouding with flashing images and noises that came at her from all directions. Loud screaming and yelling filled throughout the empty room, echoing across the walls as they all became a cluster of noise. The noises accumulated and became sharper and louder until it became one collective heavy shriek, knocking down the girl as she tried covering her ears as the noise rung painfully through her frame. And just as quickly as the noise had come, it was gone. Heaving heavily and her heart beating at a thousand miles an hour, the girl peeked an eye open and looked around her, only to be absolutely stunned to stone as a bright vivid re-imagination of a scene played before her.

_On the window seat, the ghostly image of the little child she'd followed sat as they softly cried to themselves. "You're nothing special, no one's here to save you. Stop calling for your family, they abandoned you just all the others." A stern voice echoed across the hall towards the little child. The golden eyed child ignored the adult, hopefully staring outside the window of their new home, desperately hoping and waiting for the images of their family to walk through the forest and come for them. They just knew their family couldn't have left them, they couldn't. They loved them and they knew it, The golden eyed child wasn't sure how they'd ended up in this building, being surrounded by theses other lonely children and authoritative demons, but all they knew was that despite whatever the demons were telling them, there was no way their family would ever leave them. They were so happy, so united, why would they dispose of them and go on and live their lives without them?_

_The image flickered and the scenery changed, the younger child having grown older, but nonetheless their persistence at getting their family back still strong in their heart as they sat in the same window seat overlooking the forest. It's been years of constantly watching through the window, and the more time they spent looking out of it, the more they wondered who these people were that lived up in that castle. The caregiver and the other important people that came to the building from time to time to check on the children seemed to think very highly of the family, but just how great were they to keep all these children locked in this building without proper care for them or giving them information on their family- Without allowing them to use their powers or letting them explore beyond the little land they were tucked in? Unlike the other kids, the gold eyed kid didn't hesitate to question the system they were in, after all, they'd lived freely without restrains set onto them when they were younger, and this strong willed attitude they held became the reason they were constantly punished and maltreated. The kid had become one of the most, if not, the most detested child in the facility. Everyone else seemed to have come to terms that they've been abandoned, letting the system carry on and letting them instill in the children's minds that they were useless demons with no hope for the future other than to serve the king of Hell. But the little kid didn't adjust to it, they wouldn't let the image of their beloved family become mangled and twisted to fit their ideology. Unknown to the demons and differently than the other children they were stuck with, the golden eyed child had previously learned how to harness their powers from their parents. It was the one thing they had left that still kept them connected to their family- a reminder of what they used to be._

_Another few decades passed, and the child was still hopeful for their family to come for them. Although at this point the spark of hope started dimming. The child was now at the preteens stage in comparison to human standards, and slowly but surely their memories regarding their family had started slipping._ _The institution seemed to not want the children to learn how to use their powers as their end plan was to have them become servants up at the castle, and them gaining access to their powers would seemingly give them a tool to fight against the system. Unknown to them though, the young demon had been practicing their powers in the middle of the night when they thought everyone was asleep. How did they get away with it without getting undetected? Easy, they turned their energies off._

_As time went on, and the more time the child spent at the building, the more resentment they started harnessing towards the demons around them, against the system, the world, but most than all, they resented those who lived up in that fancy castle. The more hatred they built up within them, the more powerful they became- the more they wanted to seek revenge on those who brought them to this place. They would take their revenge one day... that was a promise. They would take down those who took away their childhood. They just had to wait for the right time. They would seek revenge, not just for them, but for their family. For Neenee._

_With a last shift in scenes, the surrounding suddenly changed, the dreaded forest set as a backdrop as an older version of the demon wiped their hands on their shirt, painting it red. "Neenee... Just hold on, I'll find you soon." The golden eyed demon said through an evil smirk as they stared at the castle's doors, blood dripping from their hands as they took a final look at the castle before silently flapping their wings and slipping through the gates out of Hell._

That was the last thing Ciana caught from the vision before her eyes flung open, the angel heavily gasping for air as she laid sprawled on the dusty ground, her mind still reeling back from the images that had just penetrated her consciousness.

"What are you doing here?!" A loud voice shrieked at her, a bony hand gripping tightly onto the girl's wrist as they dragged her body across the floor. "Who are you and how did you manage to get here?" The woman continued screaming at Ciana as the last of the memories faded away from her vision. Grunting in pain as the woman tugged at her hair to get a look at the angel's face, the girl realized she'd passed out from the visions she'd received, completely unaware she'd been found lurking through the building. When the girl didn't answer, the woman angrily threw her to the ground as she yelled at someone to call for help. As the girl laid weakly on the rotting floor, the girl looked around her to find herself surrounded by young demon children looking down at her from the shadows of the room. All of them huddling against each other as they stared at the white winged girl on the ground in fear as the woman whom she assumed was their caregiver dealt with her. "Just you wait until Sat-"

"That won't be necessary." A familiar male voice boomed over them, causing the attention to shift towards the open door. "Adimiron..." Ciana voiced out softly in relief at seeing the familiar man before her. The female demon looked at him in distaste, her grip on the girl tightening as her nails started digging into her skin. "We just had an intruder come in and you don't think that our master needs to know about this? An angel intruder must I add?" She hissed at him, causing Ciana to bite back a yelp as her nails dug deeper into her skin.

Adimiron calmly looked at her. "Yes, because I assure you you wouldn't want to mess with the king's personal guest." He said. For a moment the woman seemed completely at a loss for words before ultimately letting out a chuckle. "You sincerely expect me to believe our master would personally invite an angel down to his home? Have you gone completely insane?!" She shrieked at the male demon. But Adimiron didn't flinch, instead he calmly walked up to the angel and looked into her eyes. "Are you alright Ciana?" He asked her concerned. At hearing her name, a flash of recognition registered on the female demon's face, her expression changing from pure distaste to one of pure horror as she looked between Ciana and Adimiron. Seeing as neither of them seemed to be joking, the female demon shrieked as she let go of her grip on the girl as if she were fire itself. Silently the male demon went up to Ciana and helped her up, clear displeasure on his face as he clenched his jaw, but nonetheless didn't say anything to Ciana as he took in the young demons around them. "I'm sorry for her intrusion, sure she got lost and didn't mean to come in unannounced." The woman nodded vigorously at his words. "Of course..." She said before she bowed in complete respect to the angel before her.

Not waiting around any longer, the male demon pulled Ciana out of the building, not saying anything until they made it past the first few tree lines of the forest and away from any prying ears. The silent anger that radiated off of the demon's body told Ciana just how much in trouble she was. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you always ending up in places that you shouldn't be at? Do you have a death wish I should know about?" Adimiron finally asked furiously as the two made their way through the distraught looking trees, a harsh look she'd never seen the demon display towards her painted on his face.

But Ciana didn't reply- didn't know how to reply. How was she supposed to explain to him that a ghost like entity had lead her through the forest and to the building? Not only that but the fact that she somehow felt connected to this entity and consciously let herself get pulled by it? How did she expect him to believe her when ghosts and phantoms were nonexistent in their realm? After all they were just mere mortal stories made to scare people. She couldn't even try to make sense of the whole situation for herself, how was she supposed to explain it to anyone else? So instead the angel simply muttered out a sorry, unknowns of what else to say to the demon to lessen her doings. He had a right to be mad at her, he'd done everything possible to make her feel comfortable in the castle while she was at her weakest, putting himself at a bad position by going against all protocols and against his master's commands for her, and all she'd done in return was make a mess for him to pick up. Seeing as the angel wasn't going to say anything else, the demon sighed in resignation, rubbing at his temple as he momentarily paused in his tracks, trying to calm himself down. "Lucifer was right on keeping an eye on you." He muttered to himself, thinking the girl had gone out of earshot.

The angel seemingly froze, wondering if she'd heard him right. "Lucifer asked you to follow me?" The angel asked in disbelief, also stopping in her tracks as she turned to look at the older demon. "I thought I told him not to follow me." She said, agitation clear on her voice. Adimiron sighed again, clearly fed up with the mess that kept piling up for him. "Ciana, he had the right to do so, I mean, look what you got yourself into just now. What would you have done if his father had gotten wind of you getting caught trespassing into areas you're not supposed to be at?" The demon asked, trying to instill sense into the girl, trying to justify his young master's sudden request for having him follow her. "He was only concerned for you, Ciana."

Ciana simply shook her head. "That's a lie and we both know it, Adimiron. Lucifer is incapable of caring for anyone but himself. You know that, I know that." The angel said as she ducked under a low tree branch, wrapping her arms around herself as she felt a pang of hurt go through her at the truth of her words. Adimiron watched the girl silently, conflicted as to how to answer back. Not to mention that part of him was still vivid and wanted to chew out at the girl on her recent thoughtless actions. He'd only been looking after her for less than a day and he already felt as if he'd lost a thousand years. Shepha only knew just how much more of her tactless adventures he could deal with before he completely lost it. "I don't think you know him well enough, Ciana. You'd be surprised how much of that young version of Lucifer you once knew is still in him."

Despite having heard the demon's words, the girl chose to ignore them, part of her not wanting to believe anything else that pointed to Lucifer being capable of caring for others, because seeing him as a bad guy made it easier for her to want to distance herself from him, even though in her heart she just knew she'd always try to see the good in him. Because she was that affected by him. The two let an uncomfortable silence fall upon them as they continued trudging through the blackened trees. 

"Adimiron... who were they? The children I mean." Ciana asked quietly after a while, the looks of fright from the children at seeing her stuck on her mind. The demon stayed silent for a while before finally exhaling in exhaustion, no longer being able to keep being mad at the angel.

"Orphaned children- children who's parents couldn't or didn't want to care for them, sometimes children from prisoners that were born during their imprisonment." Ciana's stomach dropped at the demon's words. "There's so many of them..." She whispered sadly, recalling the poor state of the housing and the fragile look of the children that had stood surrounding her. The place definitely didn't seem fit for proper growth and didn't seem to be a good place to bring up healthy strong individuals. Thinking back, the reason why she wasn't aware of anyone being in the building at the start was due to the very dim energies the children held- they'd been so weak she hadn't been able to register them as beings from the start. The angel suddenly stopped in her tracks, remembering the golden eyes of the little demon's form that had materialized before her in the orphanage and gave her their memories. Had they been an orphan as well? From what she got from the images she managed to grasp, they didn't feel as if they were abandoned at first, but more as if they were taken away forcefully. And they kept calling out for someone, heartrendingly waiting for them to come to them. Could it have been a parent they were waiting for? Both the demon and the place had seemed so familiar to her, yet she knew she'd never stepped into the building before, or seen it for the matter, but for some reason part of her urged and felt as if she'd experienced being there before- the energy she felt around her was too well known for someone who'd never been there to experience it firsthand.

Ciana looked to the demon in front of her, biting her lips as she cycled through her options. She knew it would sound weird, but she needed reassurance she wasn't going crazy, and the only one she knew that could answer her question stood before her. "Hey Adimiron? Have... have I ever been to the orphanage before?" She asked hesitantly, causing the demon to throw a confused and shocked look at her from her sudden question. "Wouldn't you remember if you'd stumbled across dozens of young demons at once? But to answer your question- no, that would be impossible. You never ventured out of the main castle grounds without our knowledge." Ciana nodded, just as she thought. But even with the demon's reassurance, why then did she feel as if it was a lie? Why did she feel as if the memories had been too personal for her to have simply seen it through someone else's eyes?

"Why are they on Lucifer's castle property? It seems like they are but at the same time... not. The building they live in is completely neglected, I thought it was completely abandoned when I first came across it." Ciana asked. The demon pensively thought out the question before eventually bumping the angel on the elbow in a friendly manner. "You always manage to come up with the hardest questions, huh?" The demon sighed as the two continued walking through the clump of branches. "It was the late Mrs.' wish to bring in the orphanage into the castle grounds, she wanted to take care of the children and help them grow. As you remember she didn't hold the tough love style that most of us demons are taught, she had a heart of gold even in angelic standards. She wanted to give them a chance to grow up well, to go into the world as grown demons without such a disadvantage in the world. They were supposed to be well taught, to have teachers teach them how to harness their powers, to learn to do basic magic just as they would have learned at the academy, since most of them with their basic knowledge wouldn't be accepted into the academy. But still she wanted them to be as well taught as possible, she didn't want to see the young demons losing the chance at life because they'd grown without parental support." Adimiron stopped for a minute, a sad smile appearing on his features as he recalled the late Mrs. for the first time in a while. "Unfortunately, after the Mrs. passed away, Lucifer's father decided it was a stupid waste of time investing so many resources into teaching the young demons who seemingly had no future ahead of them. So instead he neglected the building and the operation. Kids would still filter into the orphanage system, but unfortunately most of them just end up living up to become servants around the castle, or end up going out into the village on their own, hoping that they can come across a stable job that doesn't require much knowledge." Adimiron said sadly as he pushed away a low branch in front of them.

"Lucifer's mom, she seems to have been an amazing person." Ciana whispered sadly. How could someone so kind hearted be taken away from the world so soon? The demon nodded, chuckling a bit under his breath. "Yes she was, she made everyone around her smile just by being in her presence, not much different as what you're capable doing on your own. The two of you always managed to brighten everyone's day up no matter how distressed they were feeling- you were a force to be reckoned with, no one could resist your combined charm... When she first met you, the two of you instantly clicked. I still remember the way the late Mrs. would joyously joke with your mom that she'd end up adopting you as her own if she wasn't careful." The demon smiled sadly at the ground as he recalled his good friend. "She would have been proud of how well you've grown, Ciana... she treasured you more than anything."

The angel frowned at the demon's words, nothing of what he was saying clicking within her. A silence fell upon the two of them as Ciana looked up at the demon with confusion. "I...I've met her before?" Ciana asked confused. No place in her memories had she recalled ever meeting the queen of Hell before. It was odd how sure Adimiron sounded in the relationship she had with the late Mrs. when she was sure she'd never met her before. Noticing the demon wasn't saying anything, the girl looked up at him, only to notice him giving her a weird look. "Ciana... you were practically a daughter to her, you two would take strolls down the garden together every time you visited... The garden, she made it specially for you since you mentioned you've seen one on Earth just like it before... don't you remember?" The demon asked, baffled that the angel had forgotten such a big portion of her life.

Ciana frowned, trying to recall and place the memories the demon had just uttered about in her brain, trying to slot them and fit them into pieces of her memory, but only to come up blank, nothing he was saying was fitting within her recollections from her childhood. The angel slowly shook her head. "I... no. I don't remember any of that." She said softly. At first Winchesto thought the girl was messing with him, but the look of absolute confusion and perplexion displaying on the angel's face as she tried to make sense of what she'd just heard told him otherwise. She truly didn't remember anything about the late Mrs. Countless questions swirled in the demon's mind regarding the memory state of the angel before him. There was something wrong here, it was almost as if every part that included Lucifer's mother had been completely wiped from the girl's memories. But before he could ask further, a voice full of relief called out to them, bringing back theri attention to their surroundings. And only then did the two of them realize they had made it through the blackened forest and were standing in front of the castle walls. "Miss Ciana, there you are! We were wondering where you were since we couldn't find you for breakfa-" The female demon's eyes widened as she took in the angel's disheveled look. Ciana followed her line of sight and gave a sheepish smile as she looked over her torn and sooth covered dress. Oops. In a way the whole situation was hilarious, her current state reminding her of how many dresses she'd destroyed from her adventures with Lucifer as a child. And funnily enough, it was always Ava that found her in her mutilated outfits, guess some things just don't change overtime. 

"Ava, dear. Please get her cleaned up and get her some food, that's bound to help her out a bit." Adimiron asked the female demon as he started opening his wings. "I've got to go and get back to my job. I'll see you later, Ciana- and please do stay out of trouble." The demon pleaded. But before he could take off, the angel called out to him. "Adimiron, wait! Before you go... I have a request for you." The angel said hesitantly as she walked up to the demon. Winchesto raised an eyebrow in surprise but nonetheless stopped to listen. "As long as it doesn't involve finding you some other deadly adventures to wander into, then I'll hear you out." Ciana smiled before hesitantly shaking her head. "It's about the children..."

The demon looked at her in confusion. "The orphans? What do you want to do with them?"

"Adimiron... please give me one day with them, I want to help them. I want to teach them how to harness their power, if not, then to at least show them how to do the basics like feeling the energies around them or recognizing their own energies." Ciana said, looking at the demon pleadingly. "Please Adimiron... You know yourself just how neglected they are, it's unnatural and immoral to not let them tap into their potential. You told me yourself it was sad seeing them wasted like that just to become servants." The demon looked at the girl in confusion. "Ciana... do you realize how much responsibility that is to take on? You don't know how their bodies will react to activating their powers all at once, not to mention when you have dozens of children reaching into their powers at the same time? I'm sure you remember it wasn't easy for you to harness your powers right away either."

"Please, Adimiron. If not for me, then do it for Lucifer's mom. She had such a beautiful vision, it's such a shame it never got to take off at all... but give me a chance and I can revive her mission, I know I can."

"Ciana, why does this matter so much to you? They're not angels, they're demon children you'll never see again after this weekend- why would you waste so much time and effort into teaching them? What's gotten you so wound up about this?" Adimiron asked, conflicted as to why the girl suddenly felt so much compassion towards a group of kids she'd never personally gotten to know. "I get it you're worried about them, you've always been a compassionate and empathetic girl... But Ciana, this isn't something you can easily pick up and fix. This is a system that's been in place for a long time now, the chances that anything would come out of your efforts is close to zero. So why are you so adamant in wasting your time?"

The girl hesitated with her answer, not knowing how to answer truthfully to his question without giving away the truth that she was doing it because of the golden eyed demon. "Because... I feel connected to them somehow, I feel like I know what it feels like to be lost with no one to rely on from a young age... I want to show them that there's always themselves to rely on, that they're worth more than the situation they're thrown in. Just because they're orphans and demons it doesn't mean they shouldn't and don't deserve to be given the same opportunity to grow as young angels." Ciana said, a small sad smile playing on her lips as she recalled the loneliness and helplessness she felt the young image of the child had given her. And in a way she started feeling as if she'd gone through that helpless phase herself, after all, she'd being thrown into a world of adults that expected her to act and behave just as they all did, forcing her to grow up when she wasn't mentally ready for it. And in a way she really did miss on her childhood, had it taken away from her to follow after the orders of the adults around her. "Just give me one day, I'm sure they'll learn from it right away."

Adimiron studied the determined face of the angel before him, and he couldn't help but give out a small chuckle as he ruffled the angel's hair, his eyes softening at her. "You truly resemble the late Mrs... She'd be so proud of you Ciana."

* * *

It was later that night, and most of the house had gone to their respective rooms to rest. The only two still up being Adimiron and Lucifer as they both sat in a comfortable silence in the living room- Winchesto sitting by the cackling fireplace while his young master sat spread on the couch as he leisurely read through a book.

"Spill it, what's gotten you all pensive over there?" Lucifer's bored voice reached the older demon as he flipped through his book, only to be met by silence as Adimiron continued his train of thought, unbothered to answer right away. "Just...There's something odd with Ciana..." Winchesto finally uttered as he took a sip of his blood red wine, staring at the blazing fire burning before him pensively. Lucifer snorted in amusement as he flipped a page on his book, his eyes focused on the words. "Tell me something I don't already know. Although, it's good to see you've not completely blind after all Winchesto." The younger demon said with a taunting laugh. But Winchesto ignored his taunts, and instead just frowned deeper.

"No, Lucifer, I mean really off... I was talking to her this morning and for some reason she seemed unable to remember some important events she'd experienced here." Lucifer shrugged nonchalantly. "So? It's been centuries- I doubt she'd remember much from her time here. More likely, she probably made herself forget about everything that happened here, after all she didn't seem to care enough to want to stay here when you invited her." Lucifer said, becoming quiet as he let the last of his words sink in. There was partial truth in there somewhere, he knew how much the girl resented him right now, and it wouldn't be odd if she tried to forget about their past together now. Although he acted unfazed by his words as he stared intently at the book in his hands, Winchesto could see how affected the younger demon was by his own words. "What makes you think she's not playing a prank on you for making her stay here?" Lucifer asked annoyed when he noticed Winchesto's pitiful gaze on him. He hated it, he didn't want anyone to feel pity towards him for feeling weak for the angel. He already felt disgusted by it, he didn't need anyone else to add onto it. Winchesto didn't answer immediately, letting a silence to wash over the room before he ultimately shook his head, swirling the red liquid in his crystal glass absentmindedly. "I doubt it, she sincerely seemed to not know anything about the events... What's more odd is that they're all specifically connected to your mother."

Momentarily forgetting his displeasure with the other demon, the younger demon tore his eyes from the scripture and looked over at Winchesto over his book, his words having piqued his interest. "What do you mean my mother?"

Turning to face the younger demon fully, Winchesto looked into his eyes, all seriousness on his face. "Lucifer, Ciana couldn't even recall meeting your mom." For a second, Lucifer laid there stunned, only to sit up as he looked at the older demon incredulously. "That's impossible, my mother favoured her, treated her as her own child, how would she forget something like that?" Winchesto simply shrugged, taking another sip of the red concoction in his hand. "That's what I'm saying, she shouldn't be able to forget her. Ciana even remembers Ava, the likelihood she'd forgotten your mother entirely is beyond me." The two demons sat in stunned silence as they each got lost in their thoughts. Even without saying anything aloud, both of them knew that they had both come to the same conclusion- something had had to have happened to Ciana after her disappearance, someone wanted to make her forget about something, and those memories involved Lucifer's mother somehow.

"There was also something else... Somehow Ciana managed to have found her way to the orphanage house. And she asked me to look into the orphanage registration and look for this name. Neenee I presume if I remember correctly? You wouldn't happen to know if someone from the orphanage got in contact with Ciana right?" Adimiron asked Lucifer, suddenly recalling the last request the angel had asked of him before they parted ways earlier that morning.

The younger demon frowned as he shook his head. "Not that I know of- we're both well aware that none of the kids ever manage to make it beyond these walls... But... How did she manage to get there in the first place? No one would have told her about the place without reason to, and there would have been no way for her to find it on her own." Lucifer asked confused, only to have Winchesto let out a bitter laugh as he shook his head. "I have no absolutely f*cking clue, Lucifer. None. Nothing about Ciana has been making sense." The demon chuckled as he looked at his empty wine glass. "I'm surely going to become an alcoholic because of this girl. She's slowly driving me insane." He said with a sigh as he got up and headed towards the wine bottle sitting on the coffee table in front of Lucifer. Lucifer gave a snort. "Welcome aboard." The younger demon said as he snatched the newly filled glass out of Adimiron's hands, bringing it up for a cheers as he drowned the contents in one swift gulp- planting the glass with a bit too much force on the glass table.

Winchesto looked at his master displeased. "Just for that, I get to keep the bottle." He said pointedly as he took the rest of the wine bottle and took a swing out of it as he took a seat next to Lucifer. The younger demon simply giving him a scoff of amusement. A comfortable silence feel upon the two as they let the drink wash them in comfort as they got deeper into the night before eventually Winchesto got up, patting the younger demon on the shoulder before heading for the stairs to his room. "Ah... forgot to mention, your father wanted you to meet him tomorrow for some training." Adimiron said as he looked back at the demon at the base of the staircase. Lucifer's relaxed form quickly stiffening at the mention of his father. "Why all of a sudden? And why is he training me personally?" He asked cautiously. But his father's right hand man only gave him a shrug of the shoulders. "He didn't specify. But he was adamant of you being on time. So I advise you to get some rest before you meet him." He said before bidding the younger demon a good night. Leaving the younger demon to sit in solitary as he pondered over his father's move. Just what was he planning for him?

* * *

"My dear son, right on time. Good to see you didn't forget about your father." Satan said with a smirk as he watched his son walk down the barren plot of land towards him, a bored look on his face. "Don't flatter yourself, father. How does anyone possibly ignore Satan's request?" Lucifer drawled out, rolling his eyes as he stopped in front of his father. "Let's not waste any more time, I'm sure you'd rather be doing other things than training your lost cause of a son." Lucifer said as he started spreading his wings in anticipation of his father's harsh training session. But Satan's smirk only widened at seeing his son's spurred up attitude. "Just a second son, why are we in such a rush? Why don't we take some time to talk and see how your weekend back home has been so far? It's been a while since we've each other for this extended amount of period, hasn't it? And we have our dear white-winged friend to thank for that." The older demon said as he came up to his son and fixed his collar as he watched his expressions in amusement, knowing he'd hit a chord in him.

Lucifer remained cold and expressionless, not giving his father any indication of having hit a weak spot. "Seems your obsession with her has grown, father. Who would have thought you'd personally invite her to our humble home? Really took me by surprise when Winchesto told me." Lucifer said as he looked at his father coldly. His father looked at him amused, giving him a final tug on the collar. "I just thought that after my son took out his anger on her that it'd be only fair to take care of her until she recovered, don't you think so?" But the younger demon didn't reply, knowing fully well his father just wanted to ignite some response from him.

"You think you're so smart, thinking you've outsmarted me and managed to get through without getting caught expressing weakness to the angel so far. It's impressive, I'll admit, I don't know how you haven't been caught yet, with so many of my subordinates constantly keeping an eye on both of you... But just know my dear son, that I never loose, and you're about to find that out the hard way." Satan sneered as his eyes hardened. "Get ready, son. It's time to admit defeat. Even the greatest of fighters loose when their weakness is around them." Lucifer felt himself stiffen at his father's words, not fully understanding what he meant by them but understanding that he had a card under his sleeve- a method that was undoubtedly going to get a reaction out of Lucifer, and he didn't like it.

And then he felt it- he felt her, her familiar energy getting stronger as it got closer to the two demons.

"The angel asked permission to teach the helpless causes over at the orphanage after somehow finding them yesterday, and how could I decline such a warmhearted request? That would be completely heartless of me to do so, wouldn't it?" The older demon chuckled as he shook his head. "So I told them to train alongside us, so the children can see what real power is like, how harnessing it isn't meant for everyone, that only the strongest are worthy of it from brutal and constant training." Satan said as his eyes got darker, the girl's energy getting closer to them.

"You're planning on completely destroying the children's morale and taking down the angel with them?" Lucifer asked incredulously. Satan smirked. "The angel needs to be put in her place, she thinks everyone deserves the chance to shine, instilling pathetic hope in everyone around her. This angelic thinking that hope will save everyone is pathetic." Satan said, glancing over at the group emerging onto the clearing. Lucifer turned around to look at the group as well, his gaze immediately landing on the smiling white-winged girl as she carried in her arms a toddler demon, her smile immediately faltering when she noticed Lucifer and his father. "Don't forget we're demons, Lucifer. We don't accept weaknesses, to put one's life to faith is giving up. These children were flawed from the start, started too late, they won't make it like you or me." Satan said amused as he rolled up his sleeves.

"Then why did you go along with her wishes? You could've simply said no." Lucifer asked annoyed as he tore his eyes away from the angel, knowing that her being around him was bound to distract him. His father simply chuckled. "I think it'll make for great entertainment. The girl trying to teach them when they have no control over their powers is just asking to be killed by her own meddling... She doesn't understand that untapped powers being released all at once can be deadly. She'll learn that the hard way."

"Come on son, training awaits." Lucifer's father said as he stirred the two of them away from the group of young demons and immediately started his relentless training. Just like always, Satan didn't go easy on him, but the younger demon was accustomed to his father's harsh teaching methods by now. Over time he'd become quite good at predicting his dad's moves, learning that his father used more physical tactics, going harshly and fast with his attacks at Lucifer's body. Lucifer's tactics adapted and changed as he got to know his father's moves better, the younger demon used to be headstrong like his father and expulse all his energy into quick and rash attacks, but over time he learned that the best way to deal with his father was by bidding his time and wearing him out by staying on the offence. Slowly waiting out for a weak point or a slow down before attacking. What felt like hours passed as both demons started feeling the strain from their overexertion, and while Lucifer felt as if he'd managed to stay on equal ground against his father in this round, no matter how much he tried to concentrate on the matter at hand, there were moments where he'd get momentarily distracted by the girl's energy. He tried to keep his head in the battle with his father, but being in such close proximity with Ciana meant that he could also feel everything she was going through- he felt her sadness, hopefulness, joy, and even pain as she continued with her mission at tapping into the children's energies.

Then he felt something strange, a fiery energy emerged out of nowhere, and he could feel it lurking around before heading straight towards the girl. Frozen in his spot by the new energy, Lucifer didn't notice his father making a move towards him and with a powerful swing of his wings, sending the younger demon spiraling towards the ground. Lucifer grunted in pain as he landed heavily against the ground with a heavy thud. But he didn't have time to soak in his pain as a sudden loud scream of pain pierced through the air a second before a blinding golden light completely engulfed his surroundings- momentarily turning the red sky gold. 

And then he felt it, the same massive explosion of energy that had radiated out of the angel back at the academy. He felt his heart drop as he felt the girl's energy levels quickly fade off after the immense supernova of power that had come off of her, reminding him of the lifeless state he'd found the angel in after her incident at the school's training grounds. And it took everything in his being to stop himself from immediately rushing to her as subconsciously part of him was aware of the critical look his father was giving him as he leisurely flew over him, triumphantly holding a victorious smile on his face as he waited for his son to finally crack from the event- undoubtedly fully aware that he'd felt the angel's pain. And it slowly sank into Lucifer's head how his father had deliberately set up the whole thing to bait him in- he'd used Ciana as a bait just so he could win and prove a point to him. He'd purposely sent someone to hurt the girl while he had him in his line of sight so he could finally catch Lucifer unprepared, unable to hold onto his facade. His father had deliberately instigated the whole thing with the pretense at letting the girl have her way with the orphaned children, only to get them within his proximity so Lucifer couldn't miss the girl's scream of despair. Lucifer felt bitter bile build up in his mouth as distaste towards his father's dirty plays boiled his blood. But Lucifer wouldn't give it to him, he wouldn't give his father any satisfaction in knowing he'd managed to finally crack him, he wouldn't allow it- Not when it involved Ciana. His fists clenched and a newfound fiery determination in him, Lucifer stood up and gave his father a crooked smirk, wiping away at his broken lip. "Why did you stop old man? I thought you said no distractions." The younger demon watched as his father's gloating smile quickly turned sour, his venomous red eyes turning into slits as he stared in anger at his son's unbothered attitude. Through his cocky unfazed exterior, inwardly Lucifer let his anger and resentment fuel him as the girl's fickle energy resonated in him, feeling it get pulled away from him and towards the castle by some of the castle guards that had probably gone to investigate the source of the burst of light. His father had taken things too far, and he wouldn't rest until he made sure her pain was paid for. Fueled with hatred, Lucifer's eyes darkened to an almost black red, a crooked smile appearing on his lips as he calmly looked over at his father.

"Let's go another round, father."

* * *

Lucifer stood in front of Ciana's room, pacing back and forth in front of it wondering in irritation at what the hell he was doing there at all. He tried to assure himself that his motives for looking stupid standing there in the middle of his own home weren't due to concern or weakness, but because he just wanted to make sure she wasn't dead before they had to make their way back to the Academy. Or at least that's what he tried telling himself. But the small vial housing a bright purple liquid being tightly held in his left hand said otherwise. While he acted as if he didn't give a damn about the angel passing out earlier, the moment his father had had enough of him and ordered him to go back home after their gruelling training that had gone until what would have been the blink of midnight, and after Lucifer had made sure everyone had gone to bed already, the demon instead had gone straight over to the infirmary in search for an antidote for the girl. He barely knew where the f*cking room was, his father having had made it clear that whatever injuries he sustained were to be left alone to heal on their own as it built character. But thinking of the angel's weak state caused a weird urgency in him to find it.

He grunted in frustration, running a hand through his dark locks as he hovered in front of the door for the umpteenth time. Why was it so hard to knock on it and give the damn concoction to the stupid angel? After all, it wasn't a sign that she mattered or he cared for her at all, it was a sign of making up for his father's dangerous and ruthless tactics towards her just to get back at him. Besides, he didn't want to get the Seraphs involved when the angel showed up all mangled on school grounds again after being entrusted in the hands of the demon's family. He didn't want his father to be subjected under further scrutiny from the angels above despite how much he hated him at the moment. But then even through all that logic, why was it still so damn difficult to come face to face with the angel? Sighing in defeat, the demon laid his head against the door, closing his eyes as he chuckled at himself in disbelief. Satan's son was unafraid of anyone and anything but couldn't get enough courage to talk to a measly angel that was bedridden at the moment. She probably didn't even know how affected he was because of her, and that was simply infuriating. Even he had to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. With a final sigh as he reopened his eyes and was about to knock on the door, at the exact same moment, it opened.

The female angel that was the cause of the demon's current state of despair stood in front of the now open door, looking up at the demon unblinkingly. If she was surprised by the demon's sudden random appearance, she didn't show it. "May I help you with something?" She asked him. The demon cleared his throat, and on instinct put on a cocky smirk, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the now open door frame. "Nothing, I was heading to my room when I thought it might be courteous and fair to ask you to refrain from causing too much ruckus and mishap around the house, seeing as how much trouble you've managed to cause for everyone here simply on your first night." The demon lied. At his words, a silence fell upon the two of them, giving the demon enough time to have processed what he'd just said, making him want to knock some sense into himself by how stupid he'd sounded. What was wrong with him? What was the point in lying to her when all he had to do was shove that stupid serum at her? The angel stared at him as she let his words sink in before eventually nodding at him and taking a step forward into the hall and carefully closing the door behind her.

Lucifer's smirk feel off as he looked at the girl, somehow able to sense something was off with the angel's attitude. Before he could think of anything to say, the angel turned around to leave when her eyes wandered down the demon's hand to the vial that he was tightly holding onto. His eyes followed hers and landed on the clear tube before looking back up at the angel's expression. She was being distant with him, it showed in every way she regarded him. But that wasn't what he focused on, he could sense that despite having had rested the last few hours in bed, her energy still wasn't as strong or vibrant as it normally was. Her face was pale and void of its natural rosy colours as she stood before him. And despite how many times he'd denied it before, he knew her, despite always acting strong and unbreakable, she was probably feeling unwell but unwilling to show it. Guilt swirled in his stomach as he recalled the only reason she was in this state was because of him. Making up his mind, he demon started bringing up the flask, intending to hand it to the angel. "Actually, I-" But before he could say anything more, another voice interrupted him.

"Ciana, are you almost ready? Do you need help?" Winchesto's voice called out to her as he reached the top landing of the stairs. The angel tore her eyes away from the tube and turned to the older demon, giving him a warm smile as she shook her head. "No, I'm fine, thank you. I'll meet you down soon." She told him. The male nodded at her, his eyes wandering between the two before quietly retreating back. "I'll be waiting downstairs by the doors then."

Lucifer frowned at the girl. "Ready...? You're leaving?" He asked her before he could register he had asked the question out loud, a frown appearing on his face. The angel simply nodded, not looking up at him as she fiddled with skirt of her dress. "Yeah, I've taken too much time out of you, and been too much of a nuisance to everyone like you said, so I just thought now's a good time to leave." Ciana said, avoiding the demon's searching gaze. Stunned into silence by the angel's words, Lucifer only then realized she was wearing the same outfit she had worn when she had first entered Hell the other day. Unknowing of what to say or what to do, the demon silently stared at the girl before him. "I should go... Adimiron is probably waiting for me." Ciana said as she closed the door behind her. A cold feeling between his fingers brought the demon out of his shocked state, bringing the demon's attention back to the purple serum in his hand. And more than ever, with newfound urgency at knowing the girl would be traveling to the academy in her weakened state, the demon started bringing the tube up to the girl. "Ciana, actually this-"

"This is quite bitter, you should take it with something sweet so that it's not as hard to swallow." The angel interjected before the demon could finish his sentence. "It should heal your open wounds quickly, but your ribs and larger gashes will still need time to fully heal, so don't forget to change your bandaging often." The angel said as she finally turned to face Lucifer, her gaze softly brushing over the demon's newly acquired injuries before eventually looking into the demon's red eyes. When the demon didn't respond immediately, stunned by the fact the girl had taken notice of his state and worried about them despite how much he'd hurt her the last couple of days. Noticing his silence and taking it as a finality to their conversation, the angel gave him a small smile before turning around and headed down the stairs, leaving the young demon standing rooted to the floor.

"Ah... I know it's not my place to intervene, but... When I first got here, I saw Vicky. I think you should check up on her and make sure she's ok- someone like her who hasn't been surrounded by so much grief in such a little amount of time wouldn't normally be holding up well on their own... If you really have feelings for her, make sure she's ok." The angel said behind her back without turning around before she continued on her way, disappeared from the demon's view.

Unsure of what to do, part of him unwilling to see her leave on her own in the dead of night in her current state, but not seeing the rationality in chasing after her after he made it clear earlier that he wanted no part of her in his life, the demon stood rooted in his spot until he heard the angel and Winchesto leave through the grand doors, indicating the angel's departure. Slowly, the demon headed down the hall to his room, the house suddenly feeling larger and more empty from the angel's absence. He wanted to feel glad that Ciana was finally gone, her taking residence in his home having been a complete nuisance- demolishing and distorting the perfect system they've normalized around the house for the longest of times by socializing with the servants and teaching the orphans. But in all reality, all he felt was emptiness. His own home had never truly felt like one before, not after his mother's death and the void the angel had left in his life after she disappeared, but after having imprinted her presence around the house even for a few days, he realized just how much more at home she had made him and everyone around him feel. Her simple momentary presence had brought out a nostalgic feeling and warmth that the house hadn't felt since the demon had lost his mom, and now that she was gone again, the colder the place seemed even from its normal state. Twirling the vial in his hands absentmindedly, he looked at it bitterly. How could she immediately assume it was for himself? Why couldn't she for once think of herself before others? Why was she still looking out for him when all he's done to her was hurt her in return?

Just who was this girl that despite cutting all ties with her, she still somehow managed to infiltrate every thought and go against everything the demon stood for? Who was she that was making him feel ways he shouldn't be? 

In the dead silence of his room, three sudden knocks resonated through the wooden door, bringing the demon's attention to it. The demon suddenly stood up, partially hoping the angel had come back as he swung the door open, only to be met back with a maid's look of shock that had been caused by the brute force the demon had exerted on the door. "I, um..." The maid cleared her throat as she tried to calm herself down. "I brought you the honey drink Miss Ciana asked me to bring you." She said, holding out a tray with a steaming cup to the demon. Hesitantly when the demon didn't say anything, she gently placed the tray on his nightstand before heading out, leaving him alone with his endless thoughts regarding the angel.

"Emotions make you weak, Lucifer... She's bound to only hurt you." He muttered to himself as he downed the antidote with the warm honey drink. The demon let out a bitter laugh. "Even the drink is golden, everything she touches is... but no matter how sweet it is, it's still bitter."


	9. Feelings and Fated Ironies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am so so so sorry for making everyone wait so long for this update. I've been trying to find a comfortable pace I could work on my story while still keeping track on my school load, and this is sadly the best I can do under the circumstances. Nonetheless, I really do hope you all enjoy this lengthily and um... very very interesting chapter. Again, thank you all so much for flooding my comment section with such wonderful comments and words of affection <3 I love every single one of you and I can't believe how lucky I am to get such wonderful readers. I can sincerely cry thinking of how much you guys truly mean to me- you've been so amazingly encouraging and friendly with me, only giving me the best of the comments any writer could ever wish to receive and it amazes me every single day that I get to wake up to these comments.  
> Thank you, I love you all,  
> -Harmony

Ciana silently looked down at her hand as she fell behind Adimiron's steps while he finished talking to a guard in front of her, informing him of her departure and to send the message along to the guards at the front gates. But Ciana didn't pay much mind to them as she was more preoccupied with other thoughts. The angel glanced blankly at her betraying hand which still longed to lean some comfort towards the cold-hearted, red-eyed demon that she was supposed to hate. Back there when she'd opened her guest room door and come face to face with Lucifer and caught sight of his fresh wounds, her first instinct was to immediately reach out to him, to help him clean up and heal any of his wounds like she'd become accustomed to doing the last couple of months. The exchange somehow having become a dynamic of their own- Her compassionate and empathetic nature and his ever dangerous and daredevil like behaviour having learned to coexist and having grown used to each other's presence. But despite everything, she knew perfectly well to stay away from the dysfunctional relationship she held with Lucifer, so why did she still care so deeply for him despite how much she got hurt in return by him? It was a vicious cycle she was stuck in, instinctively reaching out a hand for Lucifer whenever she saw him hurt, but only getting hurt right back by the man she cared so deeply about. Which was why it took everything in her being to pull back and refrain from letting her feelings get in the way. Encased in her thought bubble, Ciana barely noticed the guard saluting Adimiron before taking off ahead of them, leaving the two of them alone at the front steps of the castle doors. Only when Adimiron turned towards her, silently watching her lost in thought did she finally put down her hand, immediately offering the older demon a bright smile to hide her castaway look as she walked towards him. "I take it as I get the green card to leave?" She asked him, pretending nothing had happened while she'd been waiting for him.

The demon gave the girl a small smile. "Yes, you're free to leave- a free pass out of the gates of Hell as you're no longer imprisoned to us. Cherish it as it's something you normally don't come across around here." He joked, gesturing at the red skies and the rocky terrain around them, causing a real smile to spread on the girl's lips as she shook her head. "Dad jokes... now you've really aged, Adimiron." Ciana said as they descended the front steps.

Adimiron and Ciana quietly made their way down the castle's pathway towards the guarded gates where the demon would leave Ciana off before she made her way back to the academy on her own. The demon had offered, no, more like insisted in taking the girl all the way to the academy, but Ciana declined, insisting that he had more pressing matters to attend to than worrying about her getting to school. But in reality she just wanted some solitude to herself- some real solitude where no one but the blood red sun would speculate her as she let down her guard momentarily as she finished the last of her wishes down in Hell before returning back to her world of pretense. And despite how turbulent and eventful the last few days have been- having been met with death nearly as many times as day turns to night on a daily basis throughout the year, part of her still felt kind of sad leaving the place again, knowing that this would probably be the last time she'd probably step foot into Hell again. Because somewhere enlaced in all the daunting situations she'd unwanted found herself in the last couple of days, there were still snippets of love and happiness that she'd found along the way that made her suffering worth every bit of it. If someone had asked her prior to her entering Hell again, if she'd ever envision herself reentering the realm of grief and pain again, she'd have surely said no. Her parents have made it clear to her from a young age that they wanted to cut ties with the underworld indefinitely, probably due to their Seraph positions, but even if they never uttered the words aloud, just them being so adamant of her never stepping foot in the bloody land again just meant that Ciana found no reason to believe there'd ever be a reason for her to wander down along the blood red skies again. Although the reason behind her visit this time had been unprecedented and unplanned for, now that she found herself here again, it at least took off a tonne of guilt off her chest that had accumulated in her heart as the years had passed, helping her settle a deep regret she'd held within her for the longest times. The last time she'd stepped into Lucifer's world she hadn't been able to give a proper goodbye to the ones she'd cherished, unknowns as a child it'd be her last encounter with his world. At least now Ciana felt at ease being able to properly give a farewell to everyone that mattered to her, and she wouldn't trade this for anything. It was a proper closing to this chapter in her life, and the angel finally felt a sense of relief and calmness wash over her as she glanced at the castle exterior one last time. This time she was leaving on her own terms, finishing things consciously without anyone dictating it for her.

"I'm glad, you know?" Ciana uttered softly, the heat wave warming the girl's skin as the two slowly walked down the pathway, both parties taking their time making their way to the gates, unwilling to say goodbye just yet. The demon turned to the girl. "Glad about?"

The girl gave a small smile as she looked up to the red orb hovering above them. "Glad to have had the chance to meet you again. You, Ava, the staff... It was nice seeing all of you again. I'm glad I got the chance to see your faces once more- for a chance to reminiscence the happy times from my short lived childhood once more... And to get some closure before continuing on with my life." Ciana said as the two made their way past the gardens. "Time has changed a lot of things... I've changed a lot as well, but it's good to see that despite time having passed by, some things still stay the same." She said, giving a warm smile at the demon, to which he responded with a smile of his own, warmth flooding through his red orbs as he looked at the mature woman that had at one point been a ruckus of a child with no restrains holding her back. Adimiron hated to admit it, but seeing how much the angel had grown made him regretful at not having seen her develop into the woman she now was.

"You're making it seem as if this is our last meeting, Ciana. Shouldn't we be more optimistic about things? Besides, look at us now, neither of us would have foreseen us meeting up like this again. Sometimes fate has a funny way of bringing people together, so we shouldn't dismiss it so easily." Adimiron said, a corner of his lip twitching upright as the shadow of a smile reached his eyes, momentarily losing himself in his thoughts and forgetting the angel or the world around him for a second as he reminisced over his thoughts. Ciana turned to the demon, surprise showing through her features as she was taken aback by the demon's words. "I thought demons didn't believe in fate." The angel asked confused. Adimiron stayed quiet for a while before eventually chuckling as a smile took over his features. "Let's just say that a certain angel has somehow gotten their believes through to me somehow. And I've started believing in it." The demon responded to the girl in a softer tone, one filled with tenderness- one she'd never truly heard from him before. It was almost as if he was completely enchanted. And despite how thrown off she was from the demon's change in behaviour, she couldn't help but allow a smile to creep onto her face at the amount of tenderness he held in his words. The amount of tenderness and happiness he radiated as he smiled to himself setting off a warmth in her own heart. And somehow in her heart, she recognized the smile on the demon's face as one of love... And that realization caused the girl's smile to slowly fall off and her heart to drop to her stomach, seeing the irony behind the demon's words. Fate could bring unexpected people together, create whirlwinds of passion occur between them momentarily, but it could also be breathtakingly heartbreaking as it brought two people together only to never allow them to flourish together in the end as the world didn't approve of their connection... of their love. Because the world they lived in, their love would only be scrutinized and frowned over- their worlds wouldn't allow their relationship and kind of love to continue. It was fated to end in despair. And that was heartbreaking. It was something Ciana couldn't even fathom going through, because as much as she believed in love, she wasn't the type to put everything on the line for it.

"Fate... can sometimes be a wildcard though, it's unpredictable at times, you never know how it'll end." Ciana said softly, starring at the ground. The demon's eyes softened at her. "And I'm willing to go through with it, whatever end it leads me to, Ciana. Sometimes momentarily happiness is enough to keep you going, and no matter what ending comes, you come to peace with it if you can keep that happiness with you, even if it's fleeting... When fate comes in, you can't run from it, Ciana. It's easier to let it lead you, wherever it wants to take you." Adimiron said gently, and Ciana found it hard to ignore the suggestion in his voice. Even without spelling it out to her, she understood he was telling her to give her relationship with Lucifer a chance since they'd been brought together by fate somehow for a second time in their lives, whether for the best or worst, who knew. Maybe fate wanted them to heal all their past wounds, or maybe they were meant to hurt each other to the point they both broke down, but she didn't want to stick around long enough to find out. Whatever it was that was fated between the two of them, Ciana would do everything in her power to steer away from it, even if she couldn't outrun fate, she would stand her ground and fight it.

Adimiron seeing the angel's eyes clouding up at the prospect of having her whole life entangled to Lucifer's, gave her a sympathetic smile, placing a hand on her shoulder. And at the touch, a familiar feeling of dizziness rushed through the girl as she momentarily left her physical being and glimpse into the demon's future.

_She found herself surrounded by both demons and angels at what she could only presume to be the academy. Glancing around she noticed they were all looking around nervously, both sides split, putting up a cold front and distancing away from each other, all of them keeping quiet in fear and anticipation of what would happen- an air of hostility and resentment thickly suffocating the crowd. Following their glances, her eyes landed on a familiar raven haired male as he kneeled in front of the crowd, all emotions wiped off from this hollow looking face as his piercing red eyes stared off emptily at a group off to the side. Satan, Crowley, Lucifer, and a blonde woman she'd belatedly recognized as Seraph Rebecca from the many balls and events held in Heaven they'd attended, all stood next to the stage, all of them throwing heated and venomous glares at each other. Ciana felt her heart stop beating and her breath catching in her throat as she tore her eyes from the group and focused back on the demon, noticing his hands being bonded together as he stood mercilessly under a large blade hanging menacingly over him._

_They couldn't... they wouldn't... There had to be some mistake for Adimiron being subdued against his will at execution- he'd always been a careful man, always held at high authority and status due to his loyalty to Satan... So why was he there, humiliatingly vulnerable and his life being held in someone else's hands while the whole school simply watched on? Why wasn't anyone doing anything? Why wasn't Lucifer or Satan doing anything to stop this from happening?_

_And then, the blade dropped, and everything slowed down around her as Ciana felt herself scream out Winchesto's name, rushing, pushing through the whisps of illusion that created the form of the crowd as her focus stayed on the demon who was slowly closing his eyes- fully accepting to the fated end that was coming to him._

_Ciana felt her eyes shut tightly as the last thing she saw was Winchesto's gaze finding hers, giving her a reassuring smile before a gut wrenching and sickening metal sound slicing through flesh resonated through the crowd- completely severing off the demon's head._ _There was blood. So much blood... Ciana felt all strength leave her body as she watched over the limp and still body of the man who'd never held anything but pure love towards her._

And just as fast and dizzying as the vision had come in, it was gone. Ciana's face paled and she felt herself lose all strength in her as she fell towards the ground, only avoiding hitting the floor as a strong pair of hands held her up. "Whoa! Ciana, you're all pale, you alright? Is it the heat?" Winchesto asked concerned, quickly taking out a handkerchief out of his pocket and helping wipe the girl's cold sweat as she tried taking in shaky breaths. She shook her head weakly. No, she most definitely was not okay, every part of her felt like it was dying as she looked into the worried red eyes of the demon before her, completely unaware of the vision the girl had just seen. Getting visions of other's futures through their energies wasn't new to the girl. Energies were fluid, if the right feeling was being expressed by the person Ciana was interacting with and under the right circumstances, she could get a glimpse into their future attached to that same emotion being expressed at the moment. And in this case, Adimiron talking about fate ended up bringing her to the demon's final moments. She had been able to ready other's futures for a while now, every now and then she'd get flashes of the individual's future, but most of the time they'd been harmless ones. But reading into the deaths of them was something she'd never experienced before Adimiron... and before Sammy. When she'd first foreseen Sammy's death, she tried ignoring it, thinking it was a mistake or a fluke of a vision, but now having envisioned Adimiron's as well, it was starting to seem less and less likely a mistake, and it made the pit of her stomach churn in a very painful way. She wasn't sure if their deaths would be connected to each others, but she could feel something bad was arising, and their deaths would probably not be the only ones.

"Fate can be simply cruel..." Ciana uttered silently as Adimiron carefully fuzzed over her. Only then did the girl realize how messed up fate could be on some people, everyone back home had made it sound as if it were this amazing gift to be bestowed with, as if fate would heal up any hurt one had in the past. But seeing the grim fate that awaited Adimiron made her realize that everything she learned about it was wrong- it could lead to unwanted pain and unhappy endings, and there was no escaping it.

Ciana felt tears prickle her eyes as she turned away from the demon in front of her, realizing the little time they had left together as life, completely immune and relentless against the sentiments between the two continued ticking away despite the skies never giving any indication of it in Hell. She didn't want to say good bye to him, not this way... not after being aware of this possibly being the last time she'd see him well and alive. A lump formed in her throat as she looked at the kind smiling man before her, fatherly love radiating out of the raven haired demon. The one man who didn't deserve anything but happiness in his life, completely unknowns and oblivious to his bleak fate- the man who'd treated her in such a fatherly manner that sometimes she truly felt she was actually his daughter... No, he didn't deserved to be played by fate this way.

The angel felt her aura flicker around her, almost as if her aura could project outwards the clouding of her normally bright heart. She felt herself start shaking from the fresh vision she'd gotten, panic slowly flooding her senses. It was the second time she'd foreseen the bleak ending of two people that became so dear to her, and it scared her to no end seeing how none of her visions had ever failed to come true before. Something was wrong, she could feel her hands shaking as a cold sensation spread through them. She felt a shiver course through her body as her hands started shaking. Noticing the demon's worried glance on her, through great difficulty, Ciana plastered on one of her bright smiles, her shiny and glossy eyes concealed through a facade of happiness, not letting the fear seep through her expressions despite how sick she felt on the inside. Noticing how close they stood to the gates, Ciana pulled on the demon's hand, telling him to wait a second. "Adimiron... Can I please get a hug before I leave?" She asked in a whisper, trying to bite back the tears that were quickly building up from falling. The demon raised an eyebrow in surprise at her sudden request, but nonetheless opened his arms wide for the girl to run into. Without hesitation, fearing it might be the last time she'd ever see the man in her life again, she ran straight up to him, engulfing him in a tight embrace as she tightly shut her eyes and bit back a sorrowful cry. "Please take care of yourself Adimiron, make sure you look out for yourself... Promise me, promise me like the time you'd promised me with your life that you wouldn't tell my mom about the time Lucifer and I ran away from the party... Please promise me..." Ciana said with a hiccup, a small tear leaving her golden orbs. Adimiron looked at the younger girl with compassion, patting the girl's back in a nurturing way thinking she'd suddenly become sentimental on her departure, completely oblivious as to how she was crying for his predetermined death instead. "I promise, Ciana. I promise." The demon said gently. "Don't let fate tempt you into anything..." She whispered softly. 

If Ciana thought she could make it through the exchange without breaking down, she was wrong. Tears cascaded down her pale face as she tightened her hold on the demon. "Adimiron...thank you, thank you for being the great second father I was so fortunate to have... And just... thank you for existing." She whispered, her body shaking from the never ending sobs that wrecked the angel's body as she pressed her cheek against his chest, letting herself soak in and preserve as much of the demon's essence into her memories as possible. She didn't know if this was their last meeting, didn't know if her vision would occur tomorrow or decades from now, but she would't forgive herself if she didn't tell him how much he meant to her before it was too late. She hated her powers so much for reasons like these, behind it's amazingly bright front, it brought in misfortune to her. The demon smiled softly, pulling the girl closer as he rest his chin onto her head in a loving manner. "And thank you, Ciana, for existing as well. Remember to always shine brightly, my little firefly- even through the darkest of days, even when the moon is eclipsed by the the clouds and engulfing the world in darkness, remember your own light can make the night better no matter how small you feel." Ciana let out a breathy chuckle as she nodded vigorously at the man's words. "I'll remember."

Regretfully, the girl finally pulled away from the demon, giving him one last long look as she tried memorizing his features and carve them into her heart. "I'm glad we got to see each other again, even if it were due to unlikable circumstances." Winchesto said as they got to the castle gates, two guards standing at the ready waiting for the word to open the gates. Ciana gave a heartbreaking smile. "I'm glad as well... Seeing you again makes up for everything else that had happened the last few day." 

"Ciana... Before you go. I want to ask something of you as well." The demon called out to the girl, stopping her as she started heading to the newly opened gated doors, pulling her away from earshot of the guards. "I know it's a lot to ask, but I wouldn't be asking this of you if I had another option. You know more than anyone that Lucifer doesn't have anyone in his life that guides him the way he should be led... His mother unfortunately not having been around as he grew up. I ask of you to help him see that, help him see what's right and wrong- he's been brought up through harsh discipline, he's stuck living through his father's rough ways of teaching... But Satan's the king of Hell, he doesn't know how to be a father figure- his intentions aren't to bring up a son, but a soldier. Lucifer is missing the compassion and kindness which you have. Please guide him, show him there's more to his life than being his father's puppet." A suffocating silence fell upon the two as the angel digested his words. Ciana's eyes glanced away from the demon, slowly shaking her head. "I... I can't, Adimiron. You're asking the wrong person."

"Ciana, I know fully well who I'm asking here. Despite what you think, you hold more power over him than anyone else possibly can. The past you two had together, no one else is able to replicate the happiness and bond he felt back then." Adimiron gently placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, turning her to him so she had no choice but to look into his caring red eyes. "He's changed, Ciana. The moment you crossed paths again, he's shown more of that vulnerable young boy he once was than the last centuries combined, his true character shows when you're around him. I beg of you, please. He's not used to receiving love, that's why he's being so distant with you... He's just a hurt boy stuck in the body of an an angry man." 

The angel stared at him without showing a trace of emotion. "We're all hurt, Adimiron- Some more than others, but we all are. We're all scarred and bruised, and despite what everyone thinks, I'm not impermeable to it, Adimiron. I'm not perfect either. Maybe one day he'll find the right person to guide him through, someone with endless patience to show him what love is... But truth is, that person is just not me... It never was. And I think it's time for both you and me to stop trying to fit me into his life again... I'm tired of this one sided relationship... We can't make it work if one side doesn't have the heart to put into the effort. It's mentally exhausting, putting out all I can and only getting hurt in the process." The girl said softly, her demeanor deflating as she continued. "Can't you see I'm hurt as well? Lucifer and I can't ever make it work... You talked about fate, Adimiron, but both Lucifer and I are only fated to hurt each other. It was meant to be that way from the start. That's what we are, just jagged pieces with a common past but no future together ahead of them. I'm exhausted of the constant shifting of happiness and let down, Adimiron... I'm afraid I'll end up losing myself if I continue down this path. Lucifer isn't going to change for me, and I'm not going to waste my energy in a fruitless endeavor." She said, giving the older demon a small smile. "I'm sorry, Adimiron. This is just one wish I can't keep. I can't allow myself to be broken by him again." The angel said as she slowly backed away from the demon, giving him a small smile that didn't reach her eyes as she made her way to the gates. "Goodbye, Adimiron. Please live well." She said before she walked out through the heavy brass gates, never turning to give the castle a final glance as she opened her opal white wings against the deep reds and blacks surrounding her, and started soaring away from the house that held so many haunting memories into the land of comfort.

Adimiron glanced quietly as the girl's figure flew further and further away, attempting to put up as much physical distance between herself and the place that housed the demon that destiny had intertwined her with since birth, their paths having been predetermined to cross with each other's. "Oh but Ciana, he's already changed for you..." He muttered in an exhale as he continued watching over her until she completely blended into the scenery.

* * *

Ciana only stopped when she was sure she was far away from the castle and any of the demons residing in it, somewhere in the midpoint between Satan's castle and the opening to Heaven. Slowly, she descended onto a floating cliff she found and closed her wings as she took a seat on it, the train of her dress and legs hanging by the edge as she glanced ahead at the cascading fall of lava as it rhythmically crashed at the bottom of the flowing red river. The girl closed her eyes as she finally let down her perfect exterior and let her inner weakness show, seeping through the girl's normally impeccable facade. She wasn't strong, no, she was weak, always had been. She'd just become accustomed at putting up a strong front to please everyone around her.

She'd been pinned and trained to be this perfect angelic persona- the embodiment of sunshine itself in front of everyone that seeing herself at her lowest here in Hell made her question who she truly was outside of this specifically created character handed to her. Here where no one cherished or expected her to cater her golden attitude, here where people looked down upon it instead- down in the underworld she felt as if there was no point in pretending to be that perfect girl everyone looked up to her to be. What scared her the most about being in Hell was that it showed her all her hidden flaws, she started seeing the true person she was behind the golden mask she had put on to please her parents because of their angel status- being in Hell made her realize she wasn't who she thought she was, who people thought she was, and it scared her. The one day she'd spent in the fiery interior of the underworld, she'd seen herself at her weakest, felt more emotions than she'd ever let herself feel in her life, and experienced more grief than one should ever go through, and the person she saw during those harsh times wasn't the same flawless girl everyone put on a pedestal- she was simply a soul stuck in a cycle of acting and pretending to be someone she wasn't. So that begged the question: Just who was she? What was her identity if not the unbreakable golden girl everyone pinned her to be? Was she anything at all?

Looking down at her hand, the girl's eyes traced the faint golden aura on her, frowning slightly as it flickered slightly, so ever so softly that one could easily overlook it. But she could feel it, her powers were weakening, slowly slipping from her... and instead she could feel this darker, whisper of darkness slowly entwining itself with her normal golden one, slowly claiming dominance over her- and she had no idea why or how it was happening. But she was too emotionally spent, too broken to have the energy to work through it. She brought her knees up to her chest and encircled herself around them, quietly sobbing in her little protective cocoon, wishing that the world would stop ticking for a second and let everything stay the way it was, where no casualties would be taken from her life just yet, where the only one hurt would be her.

The scary thing about seemingly losing her powers wasn't about the possibility of how she'd feel weak and bare without them, or the fact that she was losing them at all. No, what scared her the most was how right this darker power that was coursing through her veins felt to her, almost as if she was meant to have them. As she felt it trickle through her veins the girl couldn't ignore the rush of calmness and sureness that washed through every cell in her body. She felt it within her, she wasn't who they said she was- somehow she felt there was more to her, there was something darker within her. She just didn't know what it was yet.

As she sat in solitude as the red world she currently resided in kept burning away around her, her presence unaccounted for, with only her whirlwind of thoughts accompanying her, something became clear to the angel: She wasn't going to let herself become another pawn fate could easily dictate her life for. Neither fate or anyone else would take control of her life here on out. She was finally fed up with catering to everyone else. For once she'd be the one deciding her future for herself. It was time for her to become her own person and to start living her life for herself, and that started with leaving the past behind- Their past behind.

Taking out the golden pendant she'd safely kept hidden in her dress, she looked at the intricate engraving one last time before ultimately throwing it into the red lava below her- cutting the last ties she had with Lucifer and their history together. The angel watched it slowly sink into the molten concoction below her before a bubble rose from where she'd dropped the golden ornament. Getting up, the girl took one final deep breath, suffocating hot and phosphorus filled air filling her lungs before she spread her wings open and pushed herself off the ground, finally leaving behind the world of the suffering. And unknowingly leaving the exact spot where she'd extended her hand out for Lucifer to hold onto and had become his beacon of hope all those centuries back. The exact spot where Lucifer started looking back at the their history together was ironically the same place Ciana left and ended theirs.

* * *

It was weird getting back into a normal routine when she got back to the academy. Nothing seemed to have changed while she'd been down at Hell, professors were still yelling at students to hurry up down the halls, angels and demons leisurely walking around as they normally did, complaining about classes and exam periods, and the usual sound of wings flapping echoing all around the academy. But despite how little had changed back in Heaven, Ciana felt as if a whole lifetime had passed for her- her thinking and core believes had shifted but she'd come back in the same body she'd left in, her exterior not matching up with the newfound changes and growth she'd done inwardly the last few days. But inwardly she felt as if she were in the wrong body, she no longer felt like she knew who she was as she walked down the hallways once more, where her biggest concerns a few days ago had been about the gossip going on around her, now she was being brought down with the possibilities of being dropped the bomb that either Sammy or Winchesto had suddenly vanished from her life- and now everything she found trivial and spent endless hours worrying about just seemed so superficial after everything she'd experienced down in Hell.

"Hey!" Someone called out to her, grabbing her hand gently in such a natural way one would have thought they've done it thousands of times before. And at his touch, a smile immediately appeared on Ciana's face. Because that's just who Chase was, everything he did with her felt beautiful and natural despite how unplanned for his actions were. It was so refreshing and liberating having such an uncomplicated person around her like that, someone who's easy smile and kind eyes could make any trouble melt away from one's thought with just a smile. Chase was uncomplicated, a free spirit that lived his life as it went along- Unlike Ciana who put endless stress on her future and put other's sentiments before hers, or unlike Lucifer who only looked back at the past and held resentment and hatred from them, yielding power and strength from them. No, unlike them, Chase brought no baggage with him for her to pick up for him, he wasn't broken and resentful to the world, he looked at everything as it was and accepted them as they were. He was comfort and a paradise to her where she could momentarily escape the ugly parts that were quickly taking over her life.

"Hey, stranger. Good to see you again." Ciana replied as she looked up at him adoringly, slowing her steps to a full stop and turning to face him, taking in his bright green eyes and the messy curls he housed on his head. And for the first time in days the brightness reaching her eyes. "Shouldn't you be in class now?" She asked him amused, watching as he ruffled his curls sheepishly at her question. "I mean, is it really a class if we're not in the classroom today?" He asked, which the girl rolled her eyes at. But before she could rebute him, off to the side, Ciana could hear two demons whispering to each other not far away from them, their hushed tones reaching the girl as they didn't put much effort into concealing their words.

"Did you hear? Ciana spent the weekend over at Lucifer's home. And I heard Satan himself invited her over exclusively." One of them said, throwing a glance over at Ciana. "No wonder no one could find either of them, or why the professors kept hush hush on their whereabouts." The other said, looking over at the angel in puzzlement. "I still don't see what he sees in her, she's disgustingly fake... I didn't take Lucifer to be one to fall for pathetic losers like her. Specially when she throws herself at every man so easily after having spent a few nights with him... Doesn't she understand how f*cking lucky she is?" The second demon continued, at this point not even trying to hide the fact they were fully discussing the girl in her presence. Ciana bit her lower lip, turning her gaze to the floor as she quietly listened to the two demon's words, letting them sink into her skin. She could feel Chase glance down at her, quietly studying her face as the two demons burst into laughter, their laughs echoing across the mostly empty hallway. Ciana felt the pit of her stomach drop as she could only imagine the look of disappointment on his face after hearing their words. Anyone would have thought that way about the absence of the two students, even someone as laid back as Chase was bound to feel hurt by her time away with the demon, surely he'd also come to that conclusion at one point. Ciana didn't dare look up, afraid she'd be met with the look of disapproval and dejection from the male angel. She couldn't bare make herself look at that, the last person she wanted to be hurt by her being Chase.

Decisively, the male angel tightened his hold on the female's hand and pulled her roughly, the girl almost tripping from the unexpected force, giving her no choice but to quicken her steps and follow him. Ciana could feel rage and anger radiating off his body, and it frightened the girl a bit at the thought of it being caused because of her. But instead, to her surprise, he brought both of them to a stop right in front of the two gossiping demons, surprising everyone by his unpredictable actions. "You two must be real bored of your lives to be talking about someone else's right now. Have some dignity left, I get this is probably the best way you'll be able to catch Lucifer's attention, by badmouthing the one he's directly related to since you won't ever catch his attention on your own, but come on... even you guys must know how desperate you seem. It's really depressing to my angel eyes to see... I feel bad for you." Chase said with a snicker as he pulled on the stunned angel's arm once more, beckoning for her to follow him. Blinking away at her surprise, the angel managed to turn around and give a final glance behind her before Chase was able to pull her through a corner, barely managing to catch the shocked and humiliated looks on the two demon's faces as they awkwardly avoided each other's glances. A joyful giggle erupted from the female angel as she turned back and looked at the back of her guardian angel, affection and love coursing through her body as she wondered how she could have been so lucky to have come across someone as perfect as Chase in her life. And she couldn't help but feel a newfound adoration for the male angel.

Silently, Chase led the girl across the school grounds until they came across a secluded and empty spot near the lake away from any prying eyes or ears, the male gesturing for the two of them to sit down. The two angels let a comfortable silence set between them as they let their thoughts settle down before getting into the conversation about what had just happened.

Ciana took a careful look at the male beside her as he calmly closed his eyes against the bright morning sun, letting the rays hit and warm his golden toned skin, the warmth the angel always expressed immediately helping calm down Ciana's thoughts. The girl didn't know how he managed to always stay calm despite unprecedented situations coming up, it amazed and fascinated her how she'd never seen the angel lose control over a situation and crack under pressure, it was one of those qualities that Ciana turly appreciated whenever she was with Chase, he never made a situation more serious than it had to be. "Thank you for standing up for me back there, and sorry for having you dragged into my mess... I'm sure it wasn't pleasant hearing them talk about you either." Ciana said in a repenting voice as she looked down at her interlocked hands, too embarrassed to look directly into the eyes of the man that had stood up for her- both gratefulness and guilt conflicting in her thoughts. But Chase gave her a reassuring smile, gently taking her hands in his, his thumbs soothingly rubbing circles on her skin.

"I was only doing what I thought was right... and you didn't deserve to be thrown those words at, nothing they said was true about you, Ciana. Besides I don't think I'm the only one who'd stepped up for you against rumours before, someone else was able to make the rumours die down around you for a while before as well, so I can't take all the credit." Chase said with a crooked smile that seemed a little bit forced.

It took a girl a moment to register who Chase had been talking about, and as the realization finally hit on who he was hinting at, Ciana felt a dull thud in her heart. No, Ciana would never place Chase and Lucifer in the same categories, one was a heartless demon that always had to have his way and always needed a reason behind his motives, while Chase truly only wanted the best for those he cared about without any strings attached. They were different and Ciana would never think of them the same way. "No, you're different from Lucifer, Chase. He only did it to stop his reputation from plummeting. I was attached to him and he couldn't think of any way to easily get rid of me without the school constantly talk about it due to my status... As long as he took me in as an equal and made that know throughout the academy, the less they'd see me as a leech to him. That's the only reason he did it. You, on the other hand, I know you did it because you truly care about me... the real me and not the daughter of Seraphs and the poster child of angels all around. You don't have a motive behind sticking up for me, other than your morale. And for that I will always be thankful for- for having a real friend to rely on." Ciana said, her eyes softening as a soft gust of wind ruffled his brown curls, causing a smile to spread on the girl's lips as she watched in adoration at the way they both could so comfortably talk about anything with each other the need to hide or sugarcoat their words.

"Who says I don't have exterior motives? What if I was trying to impress this girl I really liked?" Chase joked, elbowing the girl playfully as a laugh escaped her lips. 

"You're smiling again, that's always good to see." Chase said as a smile played on his sculpted golden face.

"And you're not asking about the rumours- whether it's true or not that I spend the weekend over at Lucifer's." Ciana said softly, looking into the angel's eyes, searching for any hesitation or hidden resentment he held towards her, the girl still unsure of how someone could be taking all of this so well when the one you had feelings for was involved in such a scandal. But in the most Chase like manner, full of self confidence, she was met with a smile, the male shrugging as he laid on his side, one arm propped to keep him up. "And why should I? I don't have any right in inserting myself into your personal matters. I'm not going to probe and rush you to tell me what you've been up to unless you want to tell me yourself... I know you have your own life outside of me, Ciana, and I have enough trust in you to not question your motives or believe the words that come out of someone else's mouth. Besides... I already know of your close relationship with Lucifer, you never hid that from me. And I'm aware of your stance on him, and see the way you're keeping distance from him." Chase said, softly and affectionately brushing a stray strand of hair from the girl's face, sending her heart fluttering at the heart-warming gesture that accompanied the sweet words of reassurance he'd given her. "I have complete trust in us, and I won't question your motive since I believe in our strong bond. Besides... we've never made ourselves exclusive to each other, so I can't go around acting all possessive over you- as no one should. And as much I would love to be able to call you mine, I'm not going to rush you into putting a label on us until you're fully ready, Ciana." He said, softly brushing a thumb over her cheeks, the morning sun casting a soft glow on the male angel's face as his green eyes sparkled at the way Ciana put a hand over his, planting a soft kiss in the palm of his hand as she returned the same amount of love through her own hazel golden eyes.

And in that moment Ciana knew, she just knew she was falling in love with the male angel. He was right in how she didn't want to place a label on them yet, but she didn't need one to express and describe her feelings towards him. She already knew that Chase had a special part in her heart, and knew she'd never stop falling deeper and deeper in love with the green-eyed angel before her. Filled with a kindred warmth and absolute love, Ciana on impulse pushed herself forward towards the male, knocking both of them down as she planted a soft but caring kiss on his lips before lovingly looking into the deep green forest of his eyes that were so quickly becoming her favourite place in the world. Taken aback only by the fraction of a second, Chase quickly pulled the girl over him as he pressed his own kiss on her lips, affectionately brushing back the girl's hair away from her face so he could get a better look at her face, a quirky and love struck look playing on his lips, making the girl giggle from giddiness as he ran his fingers through her brown locks in soothing strokes. Ciana opened her eyes, looking down at the angel below her with warmth, happiness flooding through her veins as she continued kissing him, letting him occasionally separate from her lips as his kisses wandered to her cheeks, her nose, and down her neck- the male leaving behind a love bite or two along the way, causing the girl to shriek and laugh at the tickling sensation. Time became irrelevant to the two love-struck angels as they allowed themselves to completely lose themselves in each other's embraces as the two continued engulfing each other in loving caresses, sweet kisses and happy laughs filling their thoughts and making up their world as anything other than themselves was momentarily forgotten. Slowly, the two slowed down, both breathing heavily as they let their heartbeats settle, beating at the same tempo as the two of them contently laid on their sides next to each other, silently looking into the other's eyes as pure joy and happiness mirrored through their eyes, their hands still intertwined with each other's as they let the morning sun embrace them in its warmth, reflecting the happiness that filled the two angels. And they both felt the word that could only describe their happiness.

"Ciana, I..."

"Me too, Chase... Me too."

* * *

Lucifer had a lot of time to think to himself after the girl had left his home earlier than intended, most of them based on frustration he held towards her and the way she'd left before he could properly figure out why he felt such sudden protectiveness over her- it was absolutely infuriating how she'd so easily left him with his raging thoughts that made so sense to him at all. Who was she to make him go mad with frustration and endless dissatisfaction at the ways they always left things at? It was an aggravating cycle he always found himself in when it regarded the angel: Wanting to hate her, truly finding a reason to, and then somehow the stupid angel managing to break down his walls and make his hatred seem invalid, and then ending up with him finding himself weak for her- making excuses to be around her. Ciana was infuriating to be around because no matter what he threw at her, and no matter how much he tried to stop thinking of her, she was constantly on his mind, and it was driving him insane. 

Lucifer had patiently waited the following day for Adimiron to say anything regarding his overlook of the departure of angel last night, all while acting all nonchalant as he silently waited out the time until Winchesto was bound to let something out about their exchange, because that's who Winchesto was- If there was something to be said, he'd make sure to say it whether one wanted to hear it or not- It was because of his forthright attitude regarding his thoughts that he managed to keep such a high status along his father's many subordinates. Painfully slowly, the day turned to noon and still nothing came out of the older demon's mouth, creating a whirlpool of infuriating irritation within the young master as his father's right hand man kept silent, not seeming to want to report on the angel. Was there truly nothing to talk about? Had nothing happened while he'd seen the stupid angel out? Because he knew for a fact that their walk wasn't a brisk one, the younger demon having alertly listened through his bedroom door for a sign of the Adimiron having reentered the house. Or was it that Winchesto was waiting for Lucifer to ask about her himself? To let his curiosity and inquisitiveness finally eat him alive before he'd let out anything about the stupid angel? Because if that was his thinking, there was no way Lucifer would satisfy him in doing so. He'd just have to deal with his raging thoughts on his own. He had time, now that he was actually physically away from Ciana and he couldn't be distracted by her suffocating energy wandering somewhere around the house, he could start detaching himself from her and go back to the hatred he felt for her. The way she had made it seem the night she had left, it seemed as if she had decided it was the last time they'd cross paths with each other again- as if that was the finality to their history together. And that had been what he'd wanted from the start, so he should feel nothing but relief at the prospect of finally getting his life back, right? Wrong. 

The first few days back were odd and frustrating to say the least. Lucifer spent more time than he'd like to admit relearning and getting used to his old routine of what his life was like become Ciana had barged her way in- learning to relearn and get used to the solitude lifestyle he had prior to having the angel insert herself in his life, and if he was being honest with himself, he no longer understood how he'd managed to make it so far in his life without someone's constant presence beside him. But it was harder than he made it seem or showed. It definitely was harder to go back to the ways his life had been run than making space for the angel when he'd first allowed her in, because now everything he did and everywhere he went, he felt as if a gaping hole was following him around, a hole no matter what he did or how hard he tried to ignore, it was still there, plainly in his sight poking at him, not allowing him to forget or ignore it. As much as he tried not to show it, the angel's departure from his life affected him. And oddly enough it seemed that the weak minded, heart and sentiment driven angel seemed to somehow be getting thought the whole rearrangement better than he was, ironically. Part of him wished that she'd show some kind of weakness, some tear down from what had occurred back in Hell, but baffling enough, it seemed only he was affected by the ordeal. In fact, it seemed as if the angel had remade her whole life at the academy, got a clean start and remodeled her life completely, and she was thriving and glowing from it... and Lucifer had no part in it. His initial plan was to claim back his status and position when he got back into the academy, to not let the girl interfere in his original intentions, he needed to show everyone that nothing could erase the fact that he was Satan's son, a constant reminder he run the school. But it became harder to do so every time the demon felt her unignorable presence around him, everywhere he went he felt her, imagined her. And at times despite his better judgement, found himself glancing around to try and get a glimpse of her as she made her way down the halls, easily ignoring his whole existence as if they'd never crossed paths before. Having been in her presence so often and constantly the last few months and having been exposed to her comforting energy at such intense dosage levels- the angel had become a drug for Lucifer, and without realizing, he had now grown dependent and intoxicated on her. And now that she was physically away from him, he felt lost and distant from the world around him as he suffered withdraw symptoms towards her- every waking thought surrounding her as he ached to feel her presence next to him again. It was absolutely ironic how someone so pure and innocent looking could be so catastrophic to the demon's health and well-being.

He didn't know how she was doing it, forgetting their past so easily when she'd been the one holding onto it so tightly before. It infuriated him how he was the one who hadn't thought of her for centuries, and now that she'd parasitically inserted herself unwantedly into his life for a few mere months, he couldn't stop thinking of her- his every thought circled and surrounded the golden angel as if she were the f*cking sun to his solar system, except, he was the only planet and she was the only other celestial body, and he couldn't help but glance and look at her no matter how hard he tried to resist because everything else around him was pitch black and void of emptiness. And that's how he felt as he caught sight of her walking down the hallway, surrounded by a few female angels as they walked down his way, completely engrossed in their conversation that they haven't taken notice of the demon. As they got closer, unconsciously he found himself wishing for Ciana to glance his way- to at least acknowledge him in any way no matter how small- even glancing at him with that look of complete annoyance she held only for him would be better than being completely ignored. Because truthfully, he hoped that he still had an effect on the angel, just like she had one on him. At least if both were on the same boat he'd feel less pathetic as he pinned for the angel's attention.

Losing her a second time was harder, because at least the first time it wasn't him that hurt her. This time, he was the only one that was accountable for the hurt he inflicted on her, he was the only one to blame for the reason she walking by him as if they were complete strangers- why she didn't want him in her life anymore. A lump formed in his throat as he walked by her, the demon putting on an act of being unfazed- arrogance and an air of supremacy radiating off of him, an energy so powerful it was hard for anyone to ignore or pass by without stopping and staring for a second. That was, anyone except for Ciana, who unfortunately was also the subject of his desire for attention, who seemingly was the only being capable of feeling completely indifferent to the presence of Satan's son. Whilst simultaneously he could feel every bit of her presence as they passed by each other- her enchanting and bright heart shining through every cell in her body, immediately brightening up and making her presence known all throughout the hallway. The demon with the heart of steel that had been impermeable in everyone's memory felt his cold heart painfully beat against his chest as it begged, screamed for Ciana to turn and look into his direction, to lay her golden hazel gaze onto him even for a second... But she didn't. She walked right past him as if they were complete strangers, and deep down, he knew they were. He continued on, not daring turning around, his pride not allowing him to show the angel just how much she was affecting him. But when he was sure he was far away from the girl, he couldn't control the way his body moved on its own and turned around to watch the retrieving back of the angel as she continued unbothered down the hallway, unknowns to the amount of pain she was inflicting in the demon who no one else was able to subdue.

A few days passed and Lucifer found himself at his usual seat, confusing some as he got there earlier than he normally did. He had his eyes in a book, his feet propped up on the desk as he aimlessly flipped through the pages, his focus on hyper alert on whoever was walking through the doors and on the empty seat beside him. Slowly the class started filling in, everyone taking their usual seats and silently chatting away as they waited for the class to start. Time ticked by, slowly getting closer and closer to the beginning of the lecture and still he was consciously aware of the still empty spot next to him, the girl he was waiting for not having walked through the doorway yet. Was she skipping? That would be unlikely of her right? But so was being late to class, even with her inability to properly wake up like any being should, the angel wasn't the type to completely miss out on classes unless something dire occurred. The demon felt a feeble panic rush through him at the thought of the angel being hurt. But he didn't have to let his mind wander and torture itself much longer as the girl made herself present at the door, the demon having had felt her before actually seeing her. The whole class became quiet as the girl walked in, all attention on her as she walked to the the front of the class, just the way it had been on her first day. Everyone looked expectantly between Lucifer and Ciana, impatiently waiting to see if the rumours were true and they had become an item over the weekend away together. Lucifer didn't look up or showed any sign of paying attention to the situation, acting nonchalantly as he continued pretending to be immersed in his book. He couldn't read her thoughts, didn't know what she would consider doing. She always was one to please those around her, to fall into line with everyone's expectation of her. So that left only two options for her: To either sit down at her normal seat and pretend nothing occurred between them as she usually did, or sit next to Dino whom she had a close association to although they didn't seem to be on talking terms either. Which was why it not only shocked him but the whole class as she walked by Dino and completely ignored Lucifer, and instead took a seat next to an unclaimed by a window seat, forming something that resembled the Bermuda Triangle between herself, Dino, and Lucifer- anyone who ventured in between them only being able to keep silent in order to not get burned by the storms that brewed between the three powerhouses in the academy. Lucifer would have normally laughed, making a joke about the situation if it weren't for the fact he felt his stomach drop, his heart painfully contracting against his chest as he realized that in the angel's eyes, he was worthy less than an unclaimed now.

An uncomfortable silence heavily fell over the class briefly before Geralt finally made his way into the class, agitation written on his face as he made his way to the front of the class- showing surprise for the smallest fraction of a second at seeing the new seating arrangement before bringing back the attention to himself. "Right, so, seems like we have a new student in the class as a last minute modification had been done due to his higher than normal test scores- and it seemed like Fencio, the fool thought it would be better for me to take him in despite how annoying sorting through everything when classes are already partially way through the curriculum is. As if I don't have a life outside of you lots." Geralt said displeased as he looked over to the door, calling in whoever it was that would be joining the advanced class hereon out. No one seemed to know or recognize the student except Ciana as Lucifer caught a glimpse of recognition and surprise on her face at seeing their face. "Everyone, this is Eventide, please don't make him run away from the class as it's already hard enough getting him in, and I don't want to go through the pain of having to redo paperwork to get him out as well." The demon sighed as he pointedly glared at a couple of demons at the side.

"Right, enough distractions, we're already late. Today we'll be infiltrating each other's thoughts. Since you guys are the advanced class I'm sure you guys can do it without problem, but let's kick it up a notch and do it while simultaneously having your own thoughts broken through. Because in the real world, your assailant is not likely to let you look into their thoughts while they stand there looking like a springboard. Try to filter through their memories- bring out their happiest, saddest, deepest and darkest moments in their lives while trying to prevent them from reading into yours. Don't let your partners get a hold on your weaknesses as they could use it against you." Geralt said in his usual rough voice, looking around at everyone in a bored manner. "Now, partner up. I'll give you a few minutes with them before we switch over to new partners, understood? Good. I'm done here." He said as he sat down at his desk, flicking his wrist in an indication for everyone to go on and leave him alone.

Everyone immediately got up and sought out their partners, everyone avoiding getting put with any of the influential three as they all held way more power than everyone else combined, as well as trying to avoid getting in the crossfire ongoing between them. Lucifer noticed Ciana get up and trying to meet up with the new student, only to stop midway as Dino got to him first.

"Guess it's you and me, your highness." Lucifer said, breaking the silence as he leaned against the back of his seat, smirking at the angel as she kept her back to him. With a sigh, he pushed himself out of his seat and went up to the girl. "Look, I'm not pleased about this either, so let's just finish this quickly so we can continue on with our lives, okay?" He asked, annoyed with the girl's cold attitude. The girl finally turned to him, her arms crossed protectively over her chest, her eyes hard and cold as she looked at the demon for the first time since her stay at his home a few days ago. "Fine, let's get this over with." She said before leading them to a corner of the room, taking a seat on the ground and expectantly waiting for the demon to follow along. Sighing, he did as told and sat down in front of her, and he couldn't help but feel his heartbeat accelerating a bit as the angel looked him in his eyes for the first time in days, the effect she held on him still as strong as ever. "Let's start." She said softly before furrowing her eyebrows in concentration as she tried looking into his thoughts. But Lucifer didn't give them to her so readily. He easily blocked her penetrative thoughts as he simultaneously looked into hers, and he found it amusing how easily it was to break down her line of thoughts, almost as if she wasn't even trying to keep them a secret from him. Having Satan as his father had its perks it seemed, relentless and excruciating training toughened out his mind- not making it easy for anyone to easily read into his mind, to find his weak points.

Ciana's thoughts were mostly boring to him, lots of her being educated to be taught to be the perfect representation of a Seraph's daughter and lots of daunting balls she had to attend to from time to time. She had lived the typical life of a spoiled princess, except she never seemed to have lost her original sense of humbleness despite having grown with wealth and power surrounding her- from her memories it seemed she actually resented all that was handed to her. He also caught glimpses of the angel occasionally trying to escape her home as a young child as she tried to get in contact with Lucifer, and it would be a lie if Lucifer said he didn't feel anything about the memory. But he didn't let it stop him as he continued pressing on, watching as the angel grew up before him, growing into the angel he had reconnected with recently. While he leisurely enjoyed sifting through her memories as if she were an open book, a bead of sweat started making its way down the angel's face as she desperately tried to break through his thoughts, to get a glimpse of a feeling that made him more than just a cold hearted statue- there had to be a weakness to him somewhere, she knew there had to be.

Easily brushing off her ill attempts at infiltrating into his thoughts, Lucifer found himself reliving the angel's darkest moment as he saw from her point of view the dangerous and hatred-filled eyes of his own as he tightly gripped onto the angel's neck, watching her become a lifeless body before him as he let his resentment take over his thoughts. He watched through her eyes as the girl finally realized the man before her was not the boy she had cherished for so long, but instead a murderous monster that had nothing but hatred fueling him forward. Lucifer fought against the want to look away from the angel's eyes, and made himself continue sifting through her thoughts as a a lump forming in his throat at the amount of pain he'd managed to inflict on the girl before him without knowing. She was stronger than he or anyone gave her credit for- if she'd been trained the way he'd been, there was no doubt she'd be as strong as he was, if not, stronger. Just when he thought he'd made it past the worst of the angel's memories, his body froze as he realized just how wrong he was. He found himself reliving the girl's happiest moment as she lazily laid in a field with a male angel as they showered each other in pure love and affection- nothing but themselves in each others eyes as they passionately kissed each other- the girl's happiest memories simultaneously breaking the demon's heart and becoming his worst memories as Ciana's face lit up full of happiness as she looked lovingly at the male angel. A look he knew he'd never personally get to see. And that was all he needed to see to break his focus, to finally give the angel the opportunity to counterattack and look into his own memories.

Triumphantly and with an air of victory, the angel immediately took advantage of the demon's loss of concentration on her, and immediately searched through his memories, completely unaware of the reason why Lucifer had lost his hold on her thoughts. The girl watched through the grueling memories Lucifer had with his dad, the heart wrenching moment he found his mom's lifeless corpse laying at the edge of the forest, and the memory of the start of his hatred towards Ciana after she had broken her promise to meet up with him for his birthday- the boy standing lonely on a hill overlooking the city on Earth the angel seemed to have been so intrigued by after once having flown over it before. She had been his last support system, the one he had trusted most, and yet, when he needed her the most, she was nowhere to be found. Years shifted by with them mostly consisting of Lucifer growing colder and harsher as time went on, nothing much standing out but the ever growing hatred he felt towards her. Shortly after their re-encounter played in his mind, telling her how he'd recognized her despite her not having been able to immediately- and the resentment she felt off of him in this memory was so strikingly strong, she felt it pierce through her heart. And then... she found herself relieving the moment he heard the girl had been sent to the garden of Adam and Eve, and how he rushed to her without even much as thinking twice about his actions or the consequences that would come off of them. And then she was met with an unexpected flashback of their childhood together- of her extending a hand out to a young Lucifer as he dangled helplessly on a floating rock. A memory she had completely forgotten about, and it shocked her how Lucifer had recalled the memory when she herself couldn't recall it on her own. But she didn't have much more time to ponder over it as she started feeling Lucifer try to close off his thoughts from her again. Gritting her teeth tightly, the girl put the last of her energy into staying connected with his memories- and on doing so, the remaining of his memories rapidly flashed through her: His talk with his father regarding her in the cells of the prison in Hell- Lucifer trying to keep the angel safe from his father as he tried redirecting his attention to him, doing everything in his power to keep her away from him. Quickly the memory shifted once again and she found herself staring into Lucifer's hardened eyes filled with fresh hatred towards his father after having found out Satan had set up someone to purposely hurt the angel as a brutal and inhumane method at getting back at his son- to finally get his son to accept defeat and admit he'd become weak towards the angel.

And just as Lucifer started getting a hold on his concentration again and started shutting her out, desperate at keeping his last memories away from her, she caught a glimpse of his happiest memory, and it completely knocked the air out of the angel's chest at the unexpectedness of it. Sitting on a windowsill in front of a round window, there she sat as the moonlight streamed in and softly silhouetted her figure as she threw her head back laughing freely and merrily to something the demon had said to her, her soft, gleaming hazel golden eyes and warmth radiating towards Lucifer as he looked back at her with a look only describable as one of... love.

And then she was completely cut off from his memories, and she found herself with her eyes wide open in shock as she stared dumbfounded at the cold-hearted demon before her. Unable to come up with anything to say or unknowns on what to think of the whole situation, Ciana only managed to stay silent, letting a tense silence hang between them.

"Are you happy with yourself now, your highness?" Lucifer whispered in a cold tone as he abruptly got up and slammed his way out of the room, shocking and scarring everyone in the class as they followed after the demon with their eyes. Geralt immediately got up and chased after him, but not before instructing the class to switch partners and to continue on. Ciana felt the lingering eyes of her classmates on her, everyone wondering what could have possibly occurred between them to get such an explosive reaction out of Satan's son.

"You heard Geralt, switch partners and continue on." She heard Dino's voice boom across the room, bringing back everyone's attention to the task at hand. Ciana slowly looked up into the concerned eyes of the male angel whom she'd have thought would have been the last person to aid her after the cold attitude he'd thrown at her ever since she'd started associating herself with Lucifer. But nonetheless a sense of relief and gratitude rushed through her towards the male angel, and she found herself mouthing a thank you to him across the room, which he simply gave a small smile to before he went on with his assignment.

"Guess since I'm the outcast and you're the girl that drove Satan's son out the doors, that means we're the perfect partners for each other, huh?" Ciana heard someone say behind her. Turning around, she gave a small smile as she found Even behind her. He offered her a sympathetic smile as he took over Lucifer's spot, looking over her carefully and trying to see if she was okay. Truthfully, she wasn't, how was she supposed to react after finding out the demon had feelings for her? But that was impossible, right? He hated her, there was no way he thought of her that way. The only logical explanation she could come up with was that he was messing with her on purpose, either that or she'd read the situation wrong. Yeah, that had to be it. Because there was no logical way Lucifer could be catching feelings for the angel.

"Why don't we start?" Ciana asked Even, trying to distract herself from her thoughts regarding Lucifer. But as she tried reading into Even's thoughts, she felt nothing- the blue haired demon before her had no energy or memory for her to look into, and just like every time she'd previously attempted to read his energy, she just wasn't able to find any. She could account this error as her having been energetically drained after all the effort she put into reading Lucifer's energy, but she knew she was just making excuses. There was something wrong with Even and the way she never was able to detect him... and only then did she realize she practically knew nothing about his personal life.

"You're wondering why you can't feel my energy, aren't you?" Even asked the girl as he looked into her eyes unflinchingly, almost as if his question was more of a statement- as if he knew she couldn't find it... As if she _shouldn't_ be able to find it. "It's the same reason why I can't feel yours." The demon casually continued, causing the angel to freeze in shock and confusion at his words. "You... you can't feel mine either? But that's not possible... Lucifer was just able to get through mine." The demon stayed silent as he stared quietly into her hazel golden eyes with his gold flecked grey ones, and Ciana immediately felt her stomach drop, her eyes widening as recognition washed over her.

She knew of only one other person who could turn off their energies off just like her- She'd briefly met them when she was in Hell. Slowly, it clicked in the girl's mind that she knew nothing about Even... other than the fact that he didn't have a happy childhood or that he didn't have a home that felt like one. And slowly, everything started falling into place as the angel regarded the demon before her. "Your eyes... I've seen them before." She whispered softly, disbelief washing through her, sending shivers coursing through her body as Even simply nodded, agreeing with her line of thought- as if he just knew the exact words that wanted to come out of the girl's mouth.

"Yes, Ciana, I'm the little kid from the orphanage."


	10. Whisps of Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm finally back with the 10th chapter of Light's Mirage! Yay, we made it to double digits! As always, thank you so much to everyone for leaving me so many nice and beautiful comments for me to read, your words honestly just make me want to become a better writer so I can share more of my stories with you all. I'm just glad that I can take so many of you along on Ciana's adventures with me <3 Also, not gonna lie but I was slightly taken aback and blown away by some of the similarities between my ff and the new HS updates, specially with the whole infiltrating each other's minds in class thing and also a power that will become apparent as you read this chapter. And as much as some of you might not believe me, I've had the whole beginning, mid point, and ending of Light's Mirage planned out even before the end of the first season of HS came out, so truly the similarities are pretty much coincidental (Believe me or now I had the ending of the ff set and completely planned out even before I started posting my ff here.) Either way, I'm just glad I finally get to share this long awaited chapter with you all, I do really hope it lives up to everyone's standards and that everyone can at least find some fun in reading it. Hope all of you are staying safe and sound and I'll see all of you in the next chapter!  
> -Harmony (P.S. If you haven't checked it out yet, I wrote a mini ff prompt for Dino a few days ago, so if you're interested, definitely go check it out!)

If someone had gone back in time and warned Ciana of even a fraction of the insanity her life would become in a few short months, she wouldn't have believed a single word that they would have told her. Just how much could her mundane and boring life possibly change for the worst that she'd one day come to miss the bland and repetitive life she had- the one where she was shackled and confined within the enclosed castle walls of her home, constantly putting on a mask of perfection where all she had as an escape and taste of freedom were her thoughts? Well, apparently very much so, it would seem to be.

Having been chocked nearly to the point of death at the hands of her ex-best friend, been set up by Satan himself and used as his personal pawn to get back at his son as a method to sort out their dysfunctional father-son relationship, learning to come to terms with the gut-wrenching realization that she had the ability to foresee into deaths of those she cared about, and ultimately having found out recently that the demon that hated her guts more than the sun and moon disliked being present in the sky at the same time had somehow caught feelings towards her should all have amounted as a lifetime's worth of shock. The girl sincerely thought that there was nothing more the universe could possibly throw at her that could ever surprise her anymore. Because truthfully, how many others could say or come near the amount of ordeal the angel had gone through recently without cracking under complete insanity? At this point someone could have told her that humans had gained compassion for each other and managed to put all differences aside and become one coherent race without the need for wars and she'd have believed them with no doubts, no matter how absurd it sounded... Ciana thought she had already seen everything by now, become completely immune to any other surprises the skies could spring on her. But man was she wrong...oh so wrong. Nothing could have possibly prepared the angel for the bomb that had just dropped on her in the form of a gold flecked grey-eyed demon.

The girl found herself sitting on the cold hard tiled floor of her classroom as she stared in disbelief and complete shock at the blue-haired demon she'd befriended not so long ago- who'd also just so happened to have revealed to her to be the ghost of the child that had seeked her out and led her through a dead forest towards a disregarded orphanage sitting forgotten at the edge of Satan's property during her stay in Hell. Now that she was getting a closer look at Even as they sat face-to-face with each other with nothing to interrupt them, the little aspects and features she'd studied off of the little child started appearing and translating to the grown up version of the orphaned boy- and there was no denying they were a complete carbon copy of each other other than the dark blue colour of his hair. But other than that, it should have been completely obvious for anyone to have figured out they were the same person. As the similarities and realization finally fully dawned on Ciana, she couldn't help but feel absolutely stupid as she sat there in the corner of the classroom floor gaping at the demon before her. How had she not recognized it right away? The gold in their eyes and the sense of recognition she immediately felt off of the ghost child should have been a dead giveaway. Not to mention that Even had even hinted at his past situation before to her once. Everything pointed straight to the fact that the child had been Even all along, and yet she still couldn't pieced two and two together despite it being right in her face.

Many conflicting emotions collided within the angel as she tried to settle her quickened heartbeat and clouded thoughts: Shock, confusion, hurt, and disbelief being the main ones among others. " _Yes, Ciana, I'm the little kid from the orphanage."_ The demon's words kept playing themselves at the back of the girl's head, the initial shock from the demon's words still heavily resonating through the girl, leaving her completely at a loss for words. What was she supposed to say to that? Why was he revealing this to her all of a sudden? Had he known all along she'd come across his past self? Was he planning on keeping it a secret from her if she'd never come across the image? But the more questions she asked herself, the less any of it made sense to her, and the more it left her confused. How had her life gotten to this point where her new normal was to expect the worst out of any situation? Could her life become more of a mess than it already was? It seemed to have gotten to the point that with every breath she took, the world around her became more and more complicated and jumbled, completely throwing the girl into a whirlpool of incomprehension.

"How...?" Was all the angel manage to utter out in a whisper, her mind still trying to make sense of the warped situation it found itself in. But completely contrary to the baffled look the angel gave, the demon simply chuckled in amusement as he looked at the girl with a bemused expression. "How what exactly? How's my day? How's the lunch menu today? Not very good I must say, I'm feeling kind of queasy from it actually- We should start a petition for the academy to stop implementing mortal food appreciation days... They just don't sit well with me." The blue-haired demon joked with a small smirk pulling at his lips, trying to lessen the shock his unexpected words had brought onto the girl, but to little avail as the angel continued staring at him unblinkingly, the angel's mind so fried it failed at registering the demon was making a joke as she just continued gaping at him.

The angel blinked uncertainly a few times, trying to clear up her mind enough to get a semi coherent sentence out. "I mean... how did you manage to get here? I thought that they said none of the orphans had the skills or support to make it into the academy without strong recommendation or someone to back them up... And I thought you escaped out of Hell... So why did you bring yourself here so out in the open where Lucifer can easily spot you? Aren't you afraid he'll recognize you or anything?" The girl finally whispered as the clouding in her mind slowly started dispersing, and the dire situation she found herself in started making itself more present and felt as she nervously glanced across the room to make sure no one could hear them, weary that someone would find out her friend's identity and spread the rumour around until it inevitably got to Lucifer somehow.

Even shrugged, brushing off her concerned look. "He won't recognize me. We never made contact with each other directly so there's no worry about that." The demon said nonchalantly as he continued talking in a normal tone, seemingly showing no care in whether their classmates could overhear or throw glances at them. But Ciana couldn't help but flinch slightly at the prospect of someone catching on with their conversation. "Even... You know how gossip here easily passes around... I don't think this is the place to talk about something like this. Maybe it's best if we cont-" She started suggesting in a hurried whisper as she threw another nervous glance around them, only to get interrupted by an amused chuckle coming from the male demon. "Don't bother, they can't hear you or see what you're doing. As far as they know we're just doing our exercise like Geralt has instructed us to do." Perhaps it was Ciana's inability to think properly under the extraneous events that occurred that didn't allow her to process his words correctly as one easily should of, or words were just becoming an incoherent ball of nonsense to the angel after the chain of events that had occurred to her within the last hour, but all Ciana managed to do was give him a puzzled look, not understanding a single word Even had said- prompting the demon to sigh and slightly smirk at the slow understanding of the angel. "Illusions, Ciana. That's my power, or at least part of it. I encased us in a sphere of illusion where no one can see what we're truly doing or saying, all they see is a moving image of us sitting like good students continuing our work. No one can tell that we stopped working and are having a complete separate conversation on our own in this shield... As long as we stay under it no one can see or hear us, so don't hold yourself back with your questions." The demon said as he leaned back against the classroom wall, placing one hand on the floor and the other sitting idly over his knee as he took his time answering the girl's questions, carefully picking his words to not further scare the girl than she already was.

"I guess that also answers your earlier question on how I managed to get into the academy. You're right in that they would never allow some measly orphaned demon to enter, but with a bit of mind manipulation you wouldn't believe how easy it actually is to get through the registration process." Ciana could only look at the demon completely stunned. So now not only had she found out that her friend was an escapee and runaway from Hell with no regards of concealing his identity right in plain sight of the prince of Hell, who mind you, if she remembered correctly from the memories the young ghost child had shared with her- that was the same family he hated to a point of wanting to execute revenge over them for taking him away from his own and keeping him locked up at the orphanage, but now she was finding out as well that he had the ability to pretty much mess with people's minds without their knowledge? Yeah, no. Her life was a complete mess by this point. And to top the whole fiesta off, she found herself at the centre of the whole thing once more- threading carefully between a cold war brewing between the two demons. Just when she thought she was finally done with Lucifer, it seemed like fate still had plans in stored for them. Just what had she possibly done in her life to live in this continuous and never ending nightmare? Was it about what she'd said about not falling into fate's graces and standing her ground against her predetermined fate? Because if it was, it was starting to waver the girl's initial stance.

As Ciana sat there dumbfounded by the whole situation, an uncomfortable nagging thought slowly crept its way into the angel's mind until it clouded all other thoughts. "You knew I saw your younger version, that's why you knew I recognized you as them... You knew even thought I didn't tell anyone about it... And yet, you don't seem surprised by it in the slightest bit yourself... Why's that?" The angel asked barely above a whisper, her brows deeply digging into her forehead as she frowned at the male demon before her, unsure of what to make out of her friend and his concerning amount of information on her. She didn't feel creeped out or scared by him in any way, but she definitely didn't feel at ease with him either. And if life taught her anything, it was to always be on edge.

Calmly Even nodded at her questions, showing understanding at the angel's concern, seeming as if he'd patiently been waiting for the specific question to come up. "I left those memories behind at the orphanage as an illusion, a guide or message in a bottle with the intentions of my family finding them if they ever came looking for me after I'd left Hell- to give them a clue that I was alive and where they'd possibly find me in the future. I specifically created the illusion of my younger self to appear only to those who'd personally known my energy. And I guess that since we've become more and more acquainted with each other the last few months, when you went down to Hell you managed to trigger my illusion to appear since it sensed my energy somewhere on you." He said calmly, pausing a bit to let his words filter into the angel before continuing. "As to your question on how I knew and was aware of you having come across it- it's because I felt it when it got triggered, and I immediately assumed it was you since no one else knows me well enough in Hell to have done so, specially since it hadn't been triggered prior to your visit. So rest assured I wasn't following you or anything." He said, giving the girl a small smile, which did little to calm down the girl's nerves, which at this point, might be permanently standing at the ready seeing as how her life had been going so far.

"I just... Why are you telling me all of this now? You must have kept all this a secret to not blow your cover considering your past. So I just don't get why you're being so open about it now?" The girl whispered anxiously, her nails digging into her palms as fear flashed through her hazel golden eyes. "Out of everyone I shouldn't be the one you should rely this to- You're aware of my connection with Lucifer. And you just saw how easily Lucifer managed to penetrate into my thoughts, and knowing the misfortune I have at running into him, I don't think your secret is safe with me at all." The girl said as anxiety bubbled within her, a feeling of dizziness and nausea washing over the girl, a feeling she was becoming a bit too familiar with lately. But Even simply shook his head. "I don't doubt you for a second, I know you'll keep my secret safe no matter what occurs." He paused for a second as he carefully studied the girl's pale face, fear and confusion mixed with disbelief all clearly showing on her face- a complete contrast to the confident and composed exterior she usually done, showing just how thrown off by the whole situation the angel truly was. "You see, I thought I recognized immediately who you were the moment I met you, and not because of your name or status- but because when you came up to me I couldn't detect your energy either, and I just got the feeling we were the same somehow...connected in some way. It was almost as if we were meant to meet for a greater purpose... And imagine my shock when I found out your relationship with Lucifer as we got to know each other, that's why I was so distant form you for a while at the start, but looking back, your connection to him was honestly a blessing in disguise. And now I see and know that you are the only one that can help me."

And there it was the word: _Help_. He needed help from her. An uncomfortable twisting in her stomach warned her that something bad was coming up, Even's timing with the way he told her everything was a bit too convenient with the way she and Lucifer just having had a fight. And in her mind the only thing she could possibly think of that he'd need help with was for the boy to finally execute his revenge on Satan for keeping him locked up and away from his family. And she had the connections and inside information he needed to execute it. If Ciana thought her insides couldn't twist into a more uncomfortable position than it already was, she was absolutely wrong. It was a complete miracle she was still managing to sit upright at this point. What were the odds that Even probably just wanted help with an assignment or to tend to a garden? Not very likely, mostly everything pointed to him having a much more sinister plan set up against Satan seeing as he was the one who had kept him locked up all those centuries, and as much as she wasn't the happiest with the inked demon's father, she still wouldn't lend a hand in his journey at seeking revenge. Could it have been paranoia that made her think this way? Probably, but at this point in her life, the universe seemed to have taught her to always expect the worst. "Help you in what, Even? If it's revenge on Satan you want, you won't get my help on that... I'm done with him, I don't want to mess with him or his family any longer. Besides, revenge isn't going to help you in any case, you'll only end up getting hurt if you seek revenge on them. The forces you're planning on messing with are larger than you or me both combined." The girl paused for a second, searching the demon's guarded gold flecked grey eyes with her own, concern and worry for him showing through them. "I just don't get why you're doing this... You managed to get out and find a life of your own. You've done so well hiding yourself for this long, why are you willing to risk everything now? I'm afraid you telling me is just going to expose you sooner or later... And Even, you've become so dear to me, I just can't let you get hurt..." The girl said, exasperation seeping off of her body- the slightest bit of hysterics interlacing themselves in her words.

The demon stared at her quietly before ultimately shaking his head. "I can see how you'd come to that conclusion, you have seen my past memories after all... But no... it's not revenge on Satan that I want... At least not now at this moment. As much as I want to make them pay back for what they've done to me-" He paused for a second before hesitantly continuing, looking into the girl's eyes- his gold flecked grey eyes that had been void of any emotions during the whole exchange, suddenly filled with pain and hurt, a vulnerability he never showed seeping through. "Revenge is not my priority... Ciana, my family is. The sole reason I came to the academy was to find any information I could about them. I just thought that it was my best shot at finding anything about them as I hid amongst the students, no one would suspect a student looking into history books or walking down the parts of the school that belong to Hell as I snooped around for information. I understand your train of thoughts... I understand why you're so on defense, if I'd come across my past and had been sprung on all this information I'd also think there's something more devious behind my intentions... But Ciana, that's not my intention. I get you're not on good terms with Lucifer, but you're the only one with a close connection to him that can help me find out any information on my family's whereabouts. I need your help, Ciana. I need your connections to help me find them. The reason why I'm putting everything on the line and coming to you despite your close ties and feelings towards Lucifer is simply because I finally see a chance to find my family again... You've seen my past, my history... No one else has or even cared enough to ask me about them. You know how much it hurt me being apart from them- and the pain never left me. I just know what they were telling me about them abandoning me isn't true. And now that I have a chance, now that I see an opening for me to reconnect with them again, I can't lose it. Ciana, I beg of you... please help me." Even pleaded, his words coming out strained, pure hurt seeping through his words.

It hurt her seeing him this way, for someone who'd stood so strongly independent on their own against the world to suddenly look so weak and vulnerable and to be resorting to pleading for help... The angel silently stared at the demon, her heart breaking at the sound of pain that interlaced with his words. Dread and guilt added into the girl's endless whirlwind of emotions. She felt completely heartless now. How had she completely disregarded the fact that the demon had grown separated from his family by brute force? As she looked into the tortured soul of the demon before her, her strained relationship between herself and Lucifer seemed the least of her worries. She'd seen the damage that a broken family could do to one, she'd seen it from both demon's pasts. Perhaps she'd been too paranoid lately, too on edge for whatever else could be thrown at her, so much that she'd lost her sense of compassion that was so integral to her being. But even after everything that occurred to her, she shouldn't have been so defensive against Even without hearing him out first and taking out her paranoia on him- after all, she could only imagine the solitude and isolation he had to endure on his own with only himself to rely on his whole life. It couldn't have been easy for someone who'd been so hurt by the people around him to come up to her and open up about his situation when he'd never had anyone to trust and rely on before. Besides, Even never had given her a reason to doubt him, he'd been a good friend to her and Chase in his own quiet ways, and he was doing his best at answering all the angel's questions she had with the patience of a saint. He really was simply a lost soul trying to fix and mend his lost family, how could anyone possibly have the heart to disallow a bit of hope to spring from this?

Ciana's eyes soften and her hand reached out for his, gently giving his hand a squeeze of reassurance as she gave him a small smile. "Even... I told you not long ago that I'll be your family if you need me to- and family doesn't ignore when another member needs help. I can't promise you that I'll get information regarding your family through Lucifer, I still stand by my decision in wanting to keep myself distant from him as much as possible. But... I'll do everything I can to help you find your family. You're not alone in this anymore, you've got me." She said, giving him a warm smile, and the demon couldn't help but feel immense warmth flowing through his veins. For someone who'd never received an ounce of love and affection, and instead having been brought down and belittled his whole life, having someone stand in his corner brought out new emotions he'd never felt before. He didn't have the words or didn't know what to say that would be good enough to show how grateful he was, so he simply squeezed the angel's hand back, gaining a smile from her in understanding.

"Hey, Even... I do have one more question if you don't mind. You said that you knew why we couldn't feel each other's energies although neither of us have it turned off at the moment... why's that?" The demon looked at her blankly for a second, but before he could answer, a bang was heard from behind them.

The door to the class slammed open with a bang, disrupting and breaking the hypnotic state of concentration that had spread around the room as everyone focused on their assignment. Everyone's eyes immediately flew to the door, expecting to find their professor dragging in a disobedient and growling Lucifer behind him, only to instead find a wide eyed angel standing by the door as she looked around the room in fright, her whole body shaking from unspoken fear. At registering the girl's deep fright, Ciana immediately stood up and turned to her, sensing something was wrong. With a deep and shaky breath, the angel at the door finally opened her mouth, and at her words, Ciana felt her stomach drop, horror painfully twisting her insides.

"There's... there's been a killing. An unclaimed... Laura's dead."

* * *

The hallways and the overall energy around the school was quieter and much more tense than it normally was. After the death of the unclaimed made its way around the school, the hostility and fear felt around the school had become suffocatingly thick, and it didn't help that a divide had started presenting itself between the angels and demons over the last few days- Laura's death having added fuel to the fire as both sides started speculating it's been done by one of their kinds. Professors tried to keep the usual schedule going, ushering students to get back to their tasks, reminding them that failing school was still a very real possibility. But even they seemed more stressed and tightly wound than normal. Many of the students and professors had studied and resided in the academy for decades, even centuries, and never had they ever come across a death so freshly in their minds. After all, they were immortal, hearing about death wasn't often heard of- it wasn't something one simply shrugged and become used to like they did on Earth. The fact it was an unknown that had gotten killed slightly lifted the thick fog felt all around the academy- demons making a point in saying that she'd probably gotten too involved into higher being's business and that she had called it upon herself, some angels stiffly nodding in agreement in a feeble attempt at making the situation slightly better and safer for themselves, all while still condemning the demons for thinking that way about a girl that had just died. But Ciana felt no comfort, no relief in hearing about any of the speculations at all surrounding the unclaimed's death. On contrary, it made her even more anxious and paranoid than she already had been. Every minute that ticked by simply meaning that her visions regarding the deaths of Sammy and Winchesto were only getting inevitably closer. And the fact a death had occurred, nonetheless an unclaimed's- it just deepened her proof that her assumption regarding that all the deaths were closely connected to each other was right.

"Hey, where'd you heading? Flying field is on that side, aren't you going to come and join the tournament?" A gentle but firm voice reached out to her, breaking the girl from her endless turbulent thoughts. Turning around, her eyebrows shot up in surprise at who'd been talking to her, not expecting to see the blue-eyed, blond angel before her. "Oh... Dino. Didn't expect to see you." The girl said after a hesitant pause, the surprise not very well hidden in her voice. "What were you saying about a field?" Ciana asked after a brief pause, not having been fully paying attention to her surroundings and having had missed most of what the male angel had said. But instead of poking fun at her, he simply gave her a small understanding smile. "Training field, the tournament is today. I thought that you would be one to join us. Last I heard they'd sent you an invitation as part of the team joining." Dino said as the two started heading down to the field, the male angel taking a sip from his water container as they did so.

"Ah, that... I didn't notice it'd be so soon... Guess it slipped out of my mind." Ciana said as they made their way out of the school building, the girl ultimately following after the male angel as she realized she had nothing better to do, and it would seem rude to not attend such an important event. As the two angels walked into the green open land, the warm rays immediately tingled their skin with pleasurable warmth. Dino gave her a small knowing smile. "Yeah, wouldn't blame you for that. The whole academy seems to be under a dark spell at the moment." He said, the two angels silently continuing their walk down the hill, an awkward and tense air hanging between them, neither sure on how to continue on their conversation or what to say to each other. The topics they used to so easily engage into at one point having become distant memories as their relationship had become strained lately. If it weren't for the warmth of the sun, the coldness between them would have surely been enough to freeze someone.

"Listen..."

"About the other day..."

The two of them said simultaneously, both trying to break through the icy silence between them- causing them to stop and glance at each other in surprise at the other's unexpected attempts at starting a conversation.

"Uh... you first."

"You go ahead."

The two angels spoke up again after an awkward pause, leading them into another elongated period of silence. At the timely miscommunication, the two looked at each other in a brief disbelief before erupting into a fit of laughter, a newfound calmness and ease slowly thawing the iciness between them. "Guess awkwardness is meant to be out thing." Dino finally said after catching his breath, all the while as Ciana clutched to her side, glancing away from the male angel as to avoid looking into his eyes to only burst into another fit of giggles.

After the two had managed to calm down long enough to let their laughter die, the male angel carefully put a hand on her arm, gently ushering her to follow him as he led them to a small bench near the tournament field, but still well away from watchful eyes and ears. Quietly the girl followed him and sat down, patiently waiting to hear out what he wanted to say. "Ciana... I meant to say I'm sorry for the way I acted after finding out you were friends with Lucifer. I guess I'm just used to being polar opposites with him in every way- what he likes, I dislike, what I have, he doesn't... and unfortunately due to my pride I put you in the same category as everything else, and ended up becoming cold towards you after seeing how well you were getting along with him. And I know it's no excuse, but I meant it when I told you at the start that I wasn't very good with people or making friends- my competitiveness and constantly wanting to be good enough in my father's eyes just doesn't give me the social skills needed to realize how much I push others away... It was completely unfair on my end to treat you that way, and I'm sorry for that." The male angel said as he looked into Hazel's eyes, hoping she would see the sincerity within him and his words.

Ciana gave him a small smile. "You two aren't all that different to each other with your pride hanging above everything else... But I guess that's what makes both you and Lucifer the strongest individuals in the school in a way..." Ciana's smile faltered slightly at thought of the demon, her gesture not going unnoticed by the male angel. But Ciana quickly hid her momentary hesitation with another smile, turning her attention back to the male angel. "I appreciate you coming up to me to apologize, so you're forgiven. I'm just hoping you're not saying this only because I'm no longer on talking terms with Lucifer anymore. If I find out this is all because of him and not because you miss our friendship I'll be deeply offended and will revoke your forgiveness without mercy." She said jokingly, punching him lightly on the arm. The male angel's lip tugged upward at a corner, relief showing on his features at the girl's acceptance of his apology. "Scout's honour." He said, to which Ciana gave a smile to, the words meaning his words would be accounted at the same level as archangels's promise. "You better, no worst end will meet you if you lie to a Seraph's daughter." She said.

A comfortable silence fell over them as a light wind picked up, a cooling and refreshing contrast against the bright and warm rays of the afternoon sun. "I also had something to talk about." Ciana spoke up after a while, breaking the comforting silence. "I wanted to thank you for the other day. You didn't have to step up and lend me a hand when we weren't on talking terms, specially since it involved Lucifer, knowing how much you dislike getting involved in matters concerning him... But you did anyways for me." The girl paused for a second as she brushed off a petal that had fluttered down onto her dress from the magnolia tree hanging over them. "I guess I've become so accustomed to the way others perceive me as Lucifer's companion while he allowed me to be next to him that it never occurred to me that they probably were only waiting until he finally discarded me to finally voice out how they truly thought of me... The way everyone looked at me when Lucifer finally walked out the door with curious wonder instead of shock almost as if they'd all bet on it happening eventually definitely made me realize how everyone treats the three of us as simply entertainment because of our status... Now I see what you mean about always being pitted against Lucifer... Everyone makes a game out of our relationship with each other." She said bitterly as she lightly shook her head, chuckling lightly in a way her voice flowed naturally with that of the birds chirping happily around them.

Dino sighed, leaning back on the seat in an attempt at catching a few more rays of sun beyond the shading created by the tree branches over him. "There's nothing to thank me for. Whatever was happening between you and Lucifer back there should have stayed between you two- no one else had the right to get involved in your business." He paused briefly as he waved back at an angel who's spotted him, an angel Ciana could only assume would be taking part of the tournament due to his padded outfit. Dino briefly gestured that he'd soon meet him on the field before turning back to Ciana, the blues of his eyes reflecting the bright blues of the sky. "I just hope that you know that I'll be here to lend you an ear if you need someone to talk to. I'm sure a friendship with Lucifer can't be easy to put up with... Truthfully, you've earned my full respect by being able to tolerate being in his presence without the want to severe his head off for this long- If I had to bet on one of us to make it to the end, you'd definitely the one I'd bet on for sure." He joked, to which the girl gave a small laugh to, shaking her head slightly. "Honestly I'm starting to question how I'd managed to hold on for so long as well... Looking back I think I put too much faith in restoring a friendship that was meant to die long ago. Don't worry, I won't be bringing up Lucifer anytime soon- things between us is solely based on the residues of our past, and now all I want is to move forward without concerning over him... I've finally settled on the fact that we've grown up and are on separate life routes, and that there's naturally always an end to one's past, and I guess I found ours during the last couple of days." The girl said truthfully with a sense of peace to her words, bringing her gaze up to the field before them where students could be seen filling the seating while others stood stretching on the grass. Despite Dino not saying anything on the matter, he could see that the girl was being a hundred percent authentic with her words- yet, he somehow sensed that their paths wouldn't stop crossing with each other's anytime soon. But he kept that all to himself at seeing how comfortable the girl was at the moment.

"Come on, we'll be late to your game." Ciana said, getting up and offering the male angel a hand. Dino raised an eyebrow in amusement at the female's nontraditional gesture but nonetheless took it anyways. The two chatted more as they made their way down the hill, catching up on the parts they've missed of each other's lives the last couple months, occasionally bursting into laughter at something embarrassing that had happened to them or have come across. For Ciana these little snippets of comfortable peace where she felt as if her life had gone back to the way it used to be was a precious gift to her. But moments like these were never meant to last long for her, and staying in this safe bubble only meant she let time tick away unaccounted for, she was just hiding from the ugly truth that was going around in her world. As they entered the field, the two immediately felt their smiles fall off their faces as they took in the high tension between the angels and demons on the field.

"What's going on?" Ciana asked as she looked over the crowd that seemed to be possessed by a dark entity as they glared at each other in a way that one could only describe as pure hatred. Someone gave a menacing laugh from behind her, causing her to turn around. "So the two star angels of the academy finally decided to join us mere commoners, huh? What happened you asked? Why don't you ask your angel friends. They seem so set on denying they broke one of our player's wings on purpose to get back at us, and now want us to be fine with their dirty tricks and get into the game without a player." An angry demon spat at her. "Isn't it absolutely stupid how this school is held in Heaven and favours towards angels all the time? Why do we take orders from the likes of you when we're supposed to be on the same level with each other?" The demon continued on, attracting the crowd's attention. Many demons started shouting in agreement to his words, while angels started retaliating and claiming innocence. Ciana exchanged a worried look with Dino, not sure what to make of the whole situation, only to get the same worried look back.

"I'm sure it was a misunderstanding, we don't know for sure it was an angel that broke their wing." Dino calmly said, but despite how calm he seemed, a sense of authority emitted off of him, commanding the crowd to settle down. But it only further invoked the demons. "Misunderstanding?! So when your people do it it's a misunderstanding but if we do it it's a crime? Hah... He's got a broken wing! Who would do that other than you angels?!" The demon spatted at Dino, getting up at his face to intimidate him, but Dino didn't flinch. "So what do you want us to do about it? We don't know if it was one of ours who did it or not, so assuming isn't going to help anyone. Let's just find a replacement and then we'll sort out the incident, how about that?" He asked. The demons in the crowd started shouting angrily, completely against the angel's preposition, filling the arena with an angry buzz.

"You think this is a matter of replacing? We're talking about attacks on us demons being completely brushed off and you guys getting away with it because apparently angels can never do wrong!" The demon seethed at Dino, grabbing onto his shirt as anger overtook him. At his action, angels all together started shouting back at the demon in anger, ordering him to remove his hands from Dino. Soon words didn't seem to be enough, and in a blink of an eye without giving Ciana a moment to fully register what was going on, everyone started pushing and grabbing onto each other, turning their verbal fight into a physical one. Ciana was mildly aware of Dino joining the angel's side, quickly getting into a heated conversation with the demon that had initiated the dispute between them, and not too far from where Dino was, she also managed to spot Chase as he stood with another few angels facing against another group of demons, fury flashing in his normally cool and calm eyes. A little further away from the centre of the chaos, from the corner of her eye, she also could make out Adi and Sammy yelling at each other, hate and not a single hint of love or affection showing in their eyes as they continued shouting. Their uncharacteristical hatred for each other causing a pang of hurt to flare in Ciana's chest, quickly expanding over her whole body as a fresh recap of Sammy's future flashed before her, causing her to tear her eyes away from them and tightly shut her eyes, unable to continue watching the bloodbath surrounding her. Ciana was aware that the angels were urging her, pushing her to join their side whenever they passed her before getting into another fight with the demons, but she couldn't budge- wouldn't budge. She stayed completely still, her eyes tightly shut as she stayed rooted in the middle of the field between the two sides, her heart unable see more of the heartbreaking divide that was separating both sides of the school. As she stood in the middle of a battlefield, her heart and mind were having a fight of their own, not allowing her to follow after the angels as easily as she should have been able to. Because deep within her, against all her morals and what she'd been taught to believe in her whole life... she felt the demons were right- the angels really were favoured and the demons were constantly looked down upon despite both sides supposedly being equals. And it slowly was killing her as she felt unable to join the side she grew up on- she felt like she was betraying herself as she stood still, but her feet wouldn't allow her to move. And as she stood there motionless, her thoughts clouded with sadness, confusion, and a bit of resentment towards the unbalanced system placed on them- a familiar vibration sparked from her fingertips, spreading to her hands before eventually completely engulfing her, the darker sensation of power she'd felt back in Hell making its way into the girl's system once more- merging with her natural golden one.

But even amongst the raging chaos around them, the angel's stillness didn't go completely unnoticed. Lucifer had been silently watching over the fight in amusement from the sideline along with Austie when his eyes had wandered over the crowd looking for a more interesting fight than the pathetic one between two unclaimed in front of him, when his gaze unintentionally landed on the angel's still form in the middle of the field. Initially he ignored her, thinking her to be some stupid angel confused by the situation and having been frozen in fear- knowing well that the golden angel wasn't dumb enough to stand still in the middle of a rampaging battle. But as his eyes wandered over her a second time, it was hard to ignore it was her as he recognized her opal wings even from a distance. His grin fell off his face as he noticed the girl almost get trampled over by a pair of demons, but the angel not shifting of showing any sign of recognizing where she stood- not showing any intentions of moving anytime soon. What was she possibly thinking of standing still in a rampaging crowd? But as he continued studying her, the demon couldn't ignore the bad feeling he got as he watched her- there was something wrong. Despite how much Lucifer talked down on her, he never disregarded her intelligence- Ciana wasn't stupid by any means and wasn't the type to idly stand still in the middle of a school wide battle unless something else was causing her to act this way. An uncomfortable presumption telling him the angel wasn't well was the last straw he needed to push him forward. Without thinking, the demon pushed himself forward, making quick way through the mangled crowd as he kept his eyes glued on the angel, completely ignoring Austie's shouts that followed after him- the distressed angel being far more important than whatever else came at the moment. He easily dodged and pushed away the bodies that blocked his path towards her, not caring whether they were demons or angels that were getting in the way. Reaching her, he forcefully yanked on her arm, bringing her attention up to him- his eyes full of furry and angry concern as he looked disapprovingly at her.

"What are you thinking standing in the middle of the f*cking battle? Have you no regards to getting trampled by everyone around you?!" The red-eyed demon hissed at her, attempting at pulling her off to the side, but the angel didn't move, she simply stood there, frozen to her spot- almost as if she didn't realize he was there at all. He paused a few feet away from the angel, frowning as he felt a familiar darker aura coming off of the angel again. He thought he'd been imagining it before, but this time he was sure there'd been a shift in her energy. Even amongst the many angels and demons surrounding them, their mangled energies still weren't enough to mask the girl's energy from him, after all, he'd become familiar with it and would've been able to detect it from miles away. But before he could give the thought any more time to think over, someone forcefully shoved themselves against Ciana, causing her to fumble and fall forwards, and on instinct, Lucifer caught her, bringing her protectively against himself as he growled menacingly at the individual who'd just pushed into the girl- his red eyes dripping with deadly venom in them as he watched the guilty angel quiver under his gaze and apologize profusely to him. Wrapping his arms around the angel tightly, he opened his black feathered wings and took both of them up into the air, taking them away from the claustrophobic cluster of bodies throwing themselves at each other at the centre of the field- Lucifer at the moment not giving any thoughts to what everyone else would come to think of his actions as all he could think of was to get the girl to a safer spot. Lucifer flew them to the further side of the field, softly landing them both on the grass where they were far enough from the ongoing battle. The tattooed demon swore at himself before turning to the girl, ready to yell at her for her stupid actions only to stop at noticing a pair of curious golden doe eyes looking up at him quizzically, the clouding in the girl's eyes having completely dispersed- the owner of the enticing golden hazel eyes seeming to have finally snapped out of her unbreakable trance and currently starring up at Lucifer with a look he couldn't quite decipher, the look she gave him so rendering breathtaking that the demon lost all words he wanted to spit at her. At his silence, the angel quietly shifted her gaze down to the arms that were tightly holding on to her as if he was afraid she'd slip out of them, the demon's embrace having somehow brought a comfort into the girl that had been powerful enough to snap her out of whatever trance she'd been under. And even if momentarily, being in Lucifer's arms as his essence and energy surrounded her, Ciana could feel her quickened pulse slowly dying down, and the flickering of her aura had stopped pulsating and slowly returning to its normal golden one. Confusion and wonder could be read through her hazel golden eyes as she looked up at the demon- why was he having such a calming effect on her? It was almost as if the instant he'd brought her into his arms, the dark energy that had quickly consuming her had started dispersing, almost as if Lucifer repelled them from her. But before she could say anything on the matter, Lucifer tore his eyes away from her, breaking off the connection they were sharing as he abruptly stood up and walked away from her, dropping her unceremoniously on the grass and leaving the girl on her own. The demon confused by his own impulsive actions towards the angel shook his head a couple of times to clear his impure thoughts as he quickly made his way back into the battle, leaving behind a completely stunned angel watching his retrieving back.

"Ciana, there you are! Are you alright?" A familiar voice called out to her, pulling her into their embrace. But instead of feeling the usual butterflies and warmth she felt whenever she was with Chase, an odd emptiness and longing filled the girl as he wrapped her tighter to him. Nonetheless, the girl ignored these odd feelings and pressed herself closer to Chase, letting his familiar scent engulf her senses. "Yeah, I'm fine... How's the situation on the field?" She asked weakly, the full effect of the events taking a toll on her. Chase gave her a swift kiss on her forehead before answering. "It's not much different, I just noticed you've vanished for a while and got worried, so I stepped out for a bit looking for you... How'd you managed to get here?" He asked her worried. But before she could answer, the whole angel team led by Dino came up to them, the leader giving her a worried look as he glanced around the group nervously. "She okay?" He asked Chase, to which he simply nodded at, and a relieved look washed over Dino before he sighed. "Situation isn't getting any better. Seems they won't play unless we admit to hurting their player despite not having any clear evidence against us... Those demons truly want to start a war between us." He said. And at his words, the calmness Ciana had felt after being in Lucifer's arms was completely gone- the shaking in her hands returning at full force as simultaneously the world around her started shifting and turning.

The girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to hold onto every bit of control over her body that she still had. "Dino... How many extra players do we have?" Ciana asked in a calm but assertive voice, the girl quietly taking over the situation in the diplomatic ways she'd been taught to handle situations. "One, we have them on the sidelines at the ready in case someone gets hurt." Ciana nodded, quietly assessing the players on the angel's side around her. "Alright, bring them into the game and give them my position." She said, and at her words, the angels started disagreeing, saying that it wouldn't be fair seeing as she was one of their stronger players. But Ciana kept her stance while at the same time trying to fight back the cold shivers and the cold sweat that was quickly taking over her. "It's only fair, they're missing a member." She said, trying to play off the trade-off as smoothly as she could as she tried to visibly supress the prickling sensation coursing through her veins. Ciana couldn't let her anyone see her in her state when even she wasn't sure what was triggering her to feel this way.

"Seraph's daughter is right, the least you can do is to loose one of your stronger players- it's nowhere near fair if you keep two of three of the strongest students in the school while also having an extra member." A demon that had been eavesdropping on the team said. As the team turned around, they noticed that everyone was now quietly watching them, waiting to see what they agreed on. A few demons started shouting for her words to be taken into account and to take her out, enraging the angels around them as a new dispute erupted, and Ciana looked around hopelessly as she tried to find an exit out of the place as she felt the prickling in her veins become more painful, making it harder for the girl to hold back the pain that was quickly causing tears to form at her waterline as this time she felt it had become stronger and more prominent. Ciana couldn't afford to spend more time idly standing by in front of everyone as she noticed the darkness starting spreading outwards, slowly engulfing and mixing with her golden tones- and soon enough she knew it would become visible to everyone else.

"STOP THE FIGHT!" Someone's voice boomed over them, freezing everyone in their spots as the crowd looked up at Fencio's face twisted in anger and displeasure at their behavior. Ciana was aware he was saying something along the lines of a replacement, but she couldn't understand any of it as the world around her started becoming a hazy mess. All she could focus on was her breathing as she tried her best from collapsing right in front of everyone.

But Ciana didn't stay long enough to figure out what they had come to settle on, the moment everyone's attention had shifted from her to the argument at hand, the angel took it as her escape opportunity and quickly but quietly slipped out of the field, barely managing to get to the open field away from where the tournament would be held. She was fairly certain that she'd adverted bringing any attention to herself as she'd slipped out, letting the argument take over everyone's attention, but she got a gut feeling that Lucifer out of everyone had been keeping a watchful eye on her during the whole time. But she didn't care, she had to get out of there, something dark was vividly pulsating through her and her mind was becoming completely engulfed by a head splitting headache. She wasn't sure how long she had before she'd eventually get fully taken over by it- but the one thing she knew for sure was that she didn't want was to break down in front of everyone.

The angel's breathing became more laboured and intaking air seemed harder to do as her lungs seemed to be constricted, not letting air enter her airways as she forced herself to continue stumbling forward until she was sure she was far away from watchful eyes. _Just a few more steps… don’t drop now… not now…Don’t let Lucifer see you like this…_ Ciana pleaded to herself, forcing herself to take a few more steps before finally gasping and dropping onto the ground. Wheezing for air while tears stung her eyes from the intense pain her body was currently taking, causing the girl to curl up into a fetal position. Through her pain induced tears, she could see the flickering of her golden aura as a dark and whispy black one slowly crept into its place. “No…” Ciana sobbed, desperately trying to control her abilities, only to be met with more pain. She tried fighting the dark whisps back, urging in desperation for her familiar golden aura to come back to her, but fighting back only led to further pain to be inflicted on her- the world around her becoing kaleidoscope of colours and indecipherable shapes as she laid heaving and wheezing on the grass as she closed her eyes, pleading for everything to shut down and heave her alone.

And at one point, the pain had become so incredibly intolerable as it make every cell in her body cry for help that it caused the girl to completely black out... And in her unconsciousness, a feeble memory played before her.

_"Do you like your new home, Ciana?" She heard her mom's voice call out to her. But the young girl stayed still, unresponsive to her mother's words as she blankly looked around her at the unfamiliar surroundings. "Ciana? Please answer your mother, please." Her father said in a more stern voice as he kneeled down in front of her, trying to look her in the eyes. But Ciana recoiled from him, not wanting him to get closer to her- his tone much stricter and meaner than what she'd been used to. "Ciana... please don't make this hard for us... I know it's all new for you... it's all new to us as well, but soon enough everything will become normal and we'll learn to live happily together here, okay?" Her mother pleaded, taking the girl's hands into her own. But little Ciana squirmed and pulled away from her mother- the scary large place she was in and the amount of attention she was receiving causing a mass panic to emerge within the girl. She didn't like it, she didn't like anything here... She felt scared and lost as she looked around her for a piece of familiarity, only to come short to none. She wanted to cry, she hated it here. She watched her parents exchanged a worried look before her mother hesitantly pulled the younger version of herself to her, awkwardly patting the girl on the back to try to calm her down. "You're a light, Ciana... don't let the darkness dim your shine... You're brightness, chase the darkness away, don't let it consume you." Her mother said in a soothing voice, almost as if it were an enchantment. And at her words, young Ciana calmed down as she let her mother's words wash over her and lure her into sleep..._

The girl groaned heavily as she woke up to a full blown headache, the pain not giving her the full capacity to understand and comprehend the memory she'd just seen. When had this memory taken place? Was it when they'd moved houses after her parents became Seraphs? But that made no sense... the house from her memories was her old home, she was sure of that.

Silently and unknowingly a figure came up from behind her, silently watching and staring down at the struggling girl as she attempted in a pitiful and futile effort to control the oozing black energy consuming her. "You’re only hurting yourself by not letting your true powers out.” A male’s voice said, coming out of the watchful figure. Weakly and wearily, with no strength left in her to be surprised by her companion, Ciana turned around and found none other than Even standing over her. "Even... what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be watching the tournament?" She asked weakly, trying her best to hide her discomfort from the demon, but the golden flecked grey eyed demon could see straight through her bullsh*t. The male studied her silently for a minute before eventually kneeling in front of her and placing his hands on either side of her head. At first she tried fighting him and pushing him away, completely thrown off by his sudden move, but he ignored her, easily shaking off her protesting hands as he continued holding on defiantly. And slowly as if by a miracle, the pain all over her body subsided, and her core golden glow started reappearing and taking back whatever the smokey black energy had engulfed. Slowly taking everything in, she looked up at the man in front of her in pure surprise. "How... how'd you managed to do that?" She asked in a whisper, completely shocked at how easily he'd been able to subside her energy.

Even silently watched her for a moment before eventually shrugging. "Practice. I need to do this to myself from time to time as well." Ciana couldn't fully comprehend what he had meant by that, but at this point she didn't really care as she finally felt relief flush through her at finally being liberated from the dark energy's grasps. But the calmness of a storm could only be short lived as Ciana couldn't help but look down at her hands, and hesitantly, almost as if afraid of what'd happen, she summoned a small golden orb in her hands, the angel almost expecting the worse and mentally preparing herself to see a full on black sphere to materialize before her instead- the angel only managing to let out a sigh of relief at seeing the orb as golden and bright as she recalled it being, no traces of darkness anywhere in her orb. It was still there, her powers were still there. And then, her smile of relief fell off her face as she looked back up at the demon that was quietly watching her. "You said something about holding back my true powers... what do you mean by that?" She asked barely above a whisper, maybe hoping that she'd heard the demon wrong. But she should've become familiar with her lucky strike by now.

Even blankly stared at her before eventually giving her a small smile. "Ciana... I think we're both aware that you hold more power than you let on... You know deep within you that that dark energy you've been holding back is not a mistake, but it's part of you... you feel it within you, calling after you, don't you?" Ciana sat completely motionless as she let the demon's words ring around around them. The angel didn't say anything, didn't even try to retaliate or brush off Even's words, because truthfully, she was a hundred percent aware of the dark power that was brewing within her.

"That dark energy is your true power, isn't it?" He asked her.

* * *

Ciana felt as if her day couldn't possibly get any worst than it already was. After everything that had happened to her that day, she felt she was one more surprise away to a full on nervous breakdown. Despite the angels having had won the championship at the flying tournament, and her status as a Seraph's daughter pretty much demanded her to attend and be present for the celebrational feast, the girl simply didn't have the heart to go. For one, she knew for sure she wouldn't be able to stand eating and pretending to be fine seating at the same table with Sammy and Adi after the heated argument she just had with Adi regarding his lover. She had had found the demon angrily sulking and kicking around the mostly empty field after the game had ended, and seeing as it was the first time she'd found him on his own, she took it as an opportunity to talk some sense into his current stance with Sammy, the girl well aware that shortly after Laura's death, if her presumption was correct, then the likelihood of Sammy's own death occurring was shortly coming as she recalled seeing him lying in his own pool of blood as he wore the uniforms from the tournament. But Adi ignored her, telling her to leave him and his personal matters to himself despite how much the girl pleaded to mend things with Sammy. The end results of their conversation ending with the girl dejectively standing alone in the field as she watched the demon arrogantly and pridefully fly away from her, refusing to mend things with the angel. And secondly... she wouldn't feel right sitting on the angel side celebrating the whole festivity of their win after the whole fight between the two sides took place. She wasn't ready to face more of the division that was quickly taking over the school. It just didn't feel right the way one game had split the school in two distinct sides when the whole purpose of the academy as they boasted was to unite and create a balanced world between Heaven and Hell. And right now nothing was balanced.

Sighing heavily, the girl made her way down the empty corridors towards the bedrooms, knowing her fellow classmates were still in the dining hall and would probably stay there until late seeing as it was a celebratory night. Whether they were getting along or jumping at each other once more she wasn't sure, and truthfully, she was happy being oblivious to what was going on. Guess what they said about oblivious being bliss was true. Turning a corner, the girl immediately stopped in her tracks, her fatigue completely dissipating as she recognized the two energies walking towards her. One being of an angel she'd never expect to see at the academy and the other of a demon who at this moment she simply wished would stopped running into her. She frowned, completely thrown off as to why the two of them would be interacting with each other in the slightest bit. To see if her assumptions were correct as the suspense behind their interaction intrigued her as much as it confused her, the girl continued walking forward, trying hard to not display any sign of surprise or anything else other than full composure when she finally saw the two males before her- the two immediately stopping in their tracks as they looked up at Ciana. Yup, she'd been right after all.

"Lady Ciana, what a surprise seeing you out here instead of the feast... Shouldn't you be celebrating along with your fellow peers right now?" A brown haired angel she'd seen often visit her home as he relied important information to her father from time to time asked her, taking a quick bow before her. "Archangel Halos, what a pleasant surprise to see you here." Ciana replied politely. "I'm not feeling in such a mood to attend the feast, and I didn't want to bring down the overall mood with my presence." The girl replied vaguely, avoiding touching on the facts that she'd become aware that a darker power had been overtaking her lately. No, the last thing she wanted was for her parents to find out what'd happened to her since she'd entered the academy. She cast a quick glance at the red-eyed demon next to him, still unable to see the connection between the two of them.

"Your highness." Lucifer said mockingly, bowing before her in amusement just as archangel Halos had done, waiting for a reaction to emerge from the angel from his uncharacteristically polite gesture. And truthfully, she tried to hold back a laugh at the death glance archangel Halos sent at Lucifer for his disrespect. "Lucifer, surprised to see you on good terms with my father's subordinate." She said, raising an eyebrow at him, giving him a questioning look as he simply shrugged in response.

"Ah... we simply ran into each other by pure chance as I ran an errant for your father. By the way, Ciana, what is it that I hear about you not participating in the tournament? Your father would be quite displeased at hearing back that you hadn't taken part in the games." The older angel asked, and for a brief second, Ciana's facade of confidence crumbled, suddenly recalling the reasoning behind her absence. But before she had time to come up with a plausible excuse, Lucifer beat her to it. "There was an unfortunate accident regarding one of the players on the demon side, and Ciana was noble enough to step out of the game to give us a more balanced and equal game considering we were down one player." The demon said, ignoring the girl's baffled look she threw at him. Throwing a quick side glance at her, Lucifer cleared his throat subtly to indicate to her to close her mouth. Quickly catching on to his intentions, immediately the girl straightened up and did as instructed- Lucifer's lip twitching into a smirk in pure amusement at seeing the girl that never gave him the opportunity to boss her around suddenly follow suite after him. He hated to admit it, but he liked it when the girl relied on him, it kind of reminded him of the way their dynamic was when they were children getting in trouble together with only each other to rely on to get through the sticky situations they found themselves in. The archangel looked between them suspiciously, somewhat sensing they were hiding something behind the subtle glances they threw at each other, but didn't comment on it.

"Is that so? Huh, in that case your parents would be very very proud of you Ciana." The angel said with newfound respect towards his boss' daughter. "Sadly I think it's about time I depart, your father is patiently waiting for me to report back to him with Crowley's assessment and his response regarding his invitation to the gala-" The male angel paused for a second before his eyes traveled over to Lucifer, a spark igniting in his eyes as he looked him over. "Actually...Lucifer, would you like to attend the gala as well? I'm sure Ciana's parents are more than open to giving you an invite." He said. And at his words, Ciana's brightened up mood suddenly fell off again as she recognized immediately the scheme behind the archangel's words. "Archangel Halos-" The girl started interjecting, but the male angel only ignored her, walking up to Lucifer and handing him a sealed parchment with her family crest on it, and at seeing the familiar crest, Ciana's heart dropped- he really was doing it.

Lucifer stared at the scroll for a second, turning to glance at Ciana as she tried sending him a mental message to reject it. But he didn't have much time to think it over as the male angel forcefully opened his hand and dropped the parchment in it. "Great, I hope we'll see you soon again, Lucifer." He said, giving him a smile before continuing down the hallway. "Come on Ciana, let's go, I need to tell you some things privately before I go."

Ciana waited until Archangel Halos was further down the hall before she finally turned to Lucifer, a serious look on her face, all joking and laughs completely gone from her face. "Don't come." Was all she said before she followed after her father's subordinate.

* * *

There was a lot of shouting and yelling coming from outside in the courtyard, so much so that it became inevitable for Lucifer to take a look at what was causing such a commotion. One would have thought that it was another fight between angels and demons seeing as how today had gone, which was why it completely surprised him at finding instead a student laying completely still on the floor in a pool of blood- a few students he recognized that usually hung around either Ciana or Vicky sobbing pitifully over his body as other students stood around them, watching in shock at the event before them. A deafening silence fell over the crowd as a red haired demon pitifully cried over the dead body, yelling and shouting at anyone that tried to pull him away from the angel's blood covered body.

"Has anyone seen Ciana?" He heard someone whisper worriedly from behind him. He heard a few muffled nos answer back, to which the one asking about the angel's whereabouts sighed to. "Where could she be? I've searched her room, dining hall, the library, and even the gardens... News about Sammy's death won't sit well with her seeing how much she cherished him... I hope she's not on her own..." He heard before the individual shuffled out of the crowd in search of the angel. Lucifer stood frozen for a few seconds as he let their words sink in before eventually forcefully pushing his way through the crowd, immediately heading to the one place he knew the angel would reside in to hide herself from the rest of the world. If it was true what he heard them say, and she was truly close to this Sammy guy, Lucifer just knew that the girl wouldn't want to show her vulnerability to anyone at the moment since showing weaknesses was completely against everything she portrayed, but also he knew the angel wouldn't hold well losing someone she cherished so dearly on her own because that was the way she was- she cared too deeply for those that mattered to her, and that deep love she held only hurt her tenfold whenever someone she cared for vanished. Knowing her, the girl wouldn't allow herself to cry for him, thinking it would be a final grievance and acceptance to her lost friend, but Lucifer knew that if she held onto her emotions, she'd eventually only break herself in the process. His heart pumping heavily in his chest, the demon sprinted across the school's empty and dark hallways as quickly as he could, hoping against all odds that he remembered correctly the pathway towards the secret tower the two had taken cover in when Ciana had pulled him into hiding with her all those days ago.

Breathing heavily as puffs of cold air emitted from his warm breath against the cold night air, the demon slammed open the door to the room, and to his absolute relief, he came face to face with a surprised red-rimmed eye angel as she looked at him in surprise. Lucifer could physically feel the relief wash over his body as he took in the girl's puffy eyes that were threatening to let loose of the tears building up in her at any moment, but for some reason the angel held on tightly to them, not allowing herself to shed the strong and unbreakable facade she put on through her whole life since imperfection was never allowed from her. The girl that was sitting alone on the dusty floor as moonlight streamed in through the window falling on her, that girl didn't know what being vulnerable was, and it scared her feeling so many deep emotions brew within her at once. The aspect of completely losing control on her emotions completely frightened her. She carefully watched silently as Lucifer quietly closed the door behind him and studied her for a few seconds before wordlessly walking by her and taking a seat behind her, pressing his back to hers. And at his small touch, a wave of comfort and unimaginable reliability washed through her whole body. And even with that little physical contact, the girl immediately felt the clogged up tears that she had been fighting back crack through.

"You told me the other day to check up on those that haven't been surrounded by large amounts of grief in their lives since they wouldn't know how to hold up well in these situations... And I guess it's your turn to be checked up on, your Highness." Lucifer said, reciting back the words Ciana had told him back in hell regarding Vicky. Ciana couldn't help but let out a chocked up sob seeing how the demon had remembered her words. And she couldn't help but feel a deep thankfulness and awe at him. He the demon who was completely heartless to everyone around him, he the one who constantly had reminded her how little she mattered to him the last couple of months was now suddenly the one who was caring and showing the most compassion towards her when she most needed it.

He was acting completely different than he normally did, instead of poking fun at her or telling her to roughen up and put up with it, he was showing her understanding and compassion... He was giving her a shoulder to cry on, or someone to simply have around her so she didn't feel as if she was alone in this whole ordeal. And for some reason, being in his presence gave her the courage she needed to finally let loose and open up on her grief. Just by being next to her even if he didn't say anything, she felt as if she wasn't alone, and she wasn't being judged by him in the slightest bit, instead, Lucifer was giving her all the comfort and openess she needed- in his eyes she didn't need to be perfect. He knew who the true Ciana was and he didn't find any flaws in that.

And for the first time in her life, Ciana let go of all her pretense- she no longer was the golden child of the Seraphs. Tonight she was simply Ciana, a flawed and imperfect girl who was grieving over the loss of one of her best friends in the company of the one demon that didn't expect anything from her other than to be completely authentic to herself and her feelings.

Tonight, for the first time in her life, Ciana finally cried and became vulnerable to the world in the presence of someone else- and that someone else ended up being none other than Satan's son, the guy Ciana seemed to be endlessly connected to in every aspect of her life. Because somehow the man she wanted to hate the most was somehow also the man that brought out all her deepest emotions from within her. Lucifer, the one guy the girl had never wanted to show weakness and vulnerability to, somehow was the one that had the most comforting effect on her, and the one who she couldn't deny or hide her true feelings from. He had a power over her where she allowed him to see her at her weakest as she bared her soul to him freely. And for some reason she didn't feel embarrassed or powerless with him. No, with Lucifer she showed her true self- her weak side and her ugly side, and she was okay with that. And as much as either one of them tried to deny it, their story together hadn't met its end just yet.


	11. Prophesies un Unanswered Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to start off with a deep and sincere sorry. I'm sorry you guys had to wait such a long time for this update, it truly wasn't my intentions in taking this long to write this- I had everything planned out and ready to write the chapter right after my midterms. Sadly right after them I became somewhat emotionally drained- I couldn't focus or didn't have energy to do anything, even interacting with people became hard for me to do. I lost complete motivation for everything and anything, and it wasn't until much later that I finally started feeling ok again. But it never slipped my mind about you guys, in the back of my head I kept feeling terrible and feeling guilty for keeping you guys waiting, specially with how much love and support you always shower me with. At one point I truly felt like crying being unable to do anything for you guys when I only ever got love back from you guys. On that note I really want to say that mental health is truly not something to mess with, if any of you ever feel alone and like there's no one looking out for you, know you can always reach me. I'll be there to listen.  
> On a brighter not, I just came to the realization that I may have unknowingly subjected all of you into reading over 180 pages by the time you reach this chapter (Now 204 if you read through this one) which is pretty much the length of a chapter book at this point. So if any of you had reading a chapter book by the end of the year as part of your resolution, your welcome. :)  
> Anyways, I just want to truly, deeply thank all of you for all the love and support you've given me. I'm truly sorry I've been away for so long, I do feel terrible about it. But I do hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.  
> -Harmony

"You look absolutely f*cking awful." Were the worlds Ciana woke up to. And they definitely were not the most welcoming words one wished to hear first thing in the morning, specially when suffering from a raging headache from all the crying they'd done the night before like she currently was. Groaning, the girl rolled over onto her side and pulled her covers over her head, attempting to mute out the pesky voice disturbing her sleep, hoping against all odds that the permeable silk fabric in her hands would shield her from her roommate's loud voice.

She heard a disapproving sigh leave her friend's lips, whom Ciana somehow managed to belatedly realize through her foggy state had made themselves comfortable by taking a seat at the end of her mattress, their full attention and clear displeasure aimed directly at the angel's back for her uncharacteristically uncollaborative attitude. But Ciana couldn't care less of what her roommate thought of her at the moment, all she wanted to do was shut the world off and try to drown herself into a deep slumber to numb down her headache. For a while, nothing more occurred, and it seemed the girl's prayers have been heard- making the angel fall into a false sense of calm in that Emmeranne had eventually gotten tired of her and finally left her to rest. But Ciana should've known by now that things never went her way anymore. Just as the girl started falling into another round of sleep, her covers were cleanly pulled from her, exposing the angel's warm glowing skin to the bitter kisses of the autumn air. Hissing and protesting from the sudden bitter cold, Ciana felt blindly around her for something to cover her exposed skin once more.

"You think this is a bad wake up? My, if only you had seen what I had to endure through... You definitely had it easier than I had, so stop complaining and get out of bed." Her companion said annoyed, although one could make out a hint of satisfaction and amusement interlaced in her words from the scene playing before as she watched the disoriented angel pitifully search around for a source of warmth. Ciana sensing defeat in knowing her roommate had taken her beloved sheets from her, let out a protesting groan before further rolling herself into a fetal position, attempting to retain as much of the leftover warmth she had left.

Ignoring the angel's protesting complains, the demon girl continued on with their rant. "What a way to wake up... the stupid demon child almost knocked down our doors in the early morning trying to drop you off... Stupid guy couldn't even account for the fact that I'd be fast asleep, but he still had the f*cking audacity to ask me to be quiet for you and made me promise to get you to class on time... As if I don't have better things to do than to babysit my roommate..." Her roommate continued complaining, grumpily getting off the bed and proceeding to opening the girl's closet where she hastily looked through it while continuing rambling to herself, randomly throwing article of clothing at Ciana, her bed quickly getting covered under an avalanche of clothing items. "He thinks because he's all rude and hot- definitely hot, that he can get away with disturbing me? Hah! As if..." She continued muttering, adding a profanity here and there as she went over to their bathroom, her words becoming harder to decipher the further she ventured into the other room, but still makeable from a distance as she blatantly continued badmouthing whomever had possibly pissed her off.

Sighing in resignation at the realization that Emmeranne wasn't going to quiet down and let her go back into sleep anytime soon, Ciana through her sleep induced haze groggily made herself sit up, groaning as she slowly cracked her puffy eyes open and looked around her- immediately coming to regret her decision as she instinctively shut her eyes, shielding them from the blinding sunlight streaming through the windows, the brightness only making her headache that much worst to put up with. If it had been any other day the girl would of laughed at the flipped situation she and her roommate were in, considering how Ciana was always the one to invoke annoyance by waking up first and peeling the curtains open on a daily. But currently, the girl found no energy left in her reserve to do anything but slump and retrieve herself back into the darkness of her sheets. Sleepiness overtaking her once more, the girl started drooping onto her mattress again, letting her sleep deprived body slowly lul itself into a comfortable rest as she let her mind wander back into nothingness, letting the spicy yet sweet musky scent of her shirt slowly mix with her senses and comforting her back into a black unconsciousness...

_Muskiness and spiciness..._ Why was this scent so familiar yet so foreign at the same time?

Gasping, the girl immediately shot up, her hands tightly gripping onto her bed sheets on either side of her for support as her eyes starred widely in front of her- shock and fear flashing through her face as the realization hit her with the force of a tonne of bricks. The scent... she knew and recognized its owner, and given the fact she found herself surrounded by his scent, nothing good could come out of it. Frightened and almost regretting her decision at looking down to check if her assumptions were correct, the girl glanced down her arms hesitantly- her heartbeat skipping at a thousand miles per hour as every cell in her body hoped she was wrong, only to have it completely stop and drop to her stomach at the undeniable scene before her. There just was absolutely no mistaking the familiar loose fabric kissing and hugging her skin- Lucifer's infamous black button down for some reason proudly donned against the angel's pale skin. Disbelieving and completely thrown off at the sight, the girl immediately stumbled off the bed and into the bathroom, carelessly pushing her roommate away as she glanced at her reflection through the mirror, trying to find a flaw in the conclusion she was still heavily trying to disprove of.

No... this couldn't be happening... Anything but this...

"What? Just finally managed to recall you broke curfew and spent the whole night with with the demon prince? Must have been some night for you to just remember it now... So don't go pretending you didn't have a fun night with the son of Satan and now you've come to regret it." Emmeranne said with a smirk, taking in the angel's shocked face in amusement through the mirror. But Ciana didn't listen to her, her mind completely dumbfounded by the shirt that was loosely hanging on her petite figure- the hem of his shirt hanging right above her knees and the long sleeves falling limply at her sides. Panic kept continuously building up within the angel the longer she looked at her reflection, the pale face of hers becoming more discoloured the longer she stared at the demon's shirt.

Just what had happened last night? She remembered him showing up to the tower to finding her in solitary and teary eyed, where he'd silently and uncharacteristically lent some comfort to her without comment or jabs like she was sure he'd do. She could also hazily recall crying before him, not minding at the time how pathetic she looked or how the demon perceived her- at the moment any sense of distaste or weariness towards the demon gone as the excruciating hurt accumulated from the last couple of weeks finally cracked through her protective barrier. But other than that, she recalled nothing else. She couldn't recall anything that had occurred afterwards... Nothing. Frustrated at not being able to recall anything more, the girl groaned and sunk to the ground, shaking her head in disbelief as she rashly ran her fingers through her hair- the muskiness from Lucifer's shirt infused heavily of the demon's scent making it harder for the girl to think rationally.

They couldn't have had sex together right? She would've surely remembered it if they had. Having sex with Satan's son couldn't be something anyone could easily forget, she was sure of that. Besides, she was sure that even through all the emotional pain, numbness, and sorrow she'd gone through the night before, she'd still have been sober enough and had at least held enough self restrain to not give herself to Lucifer of all people. And she knew for a fact that she was way off Lucifer's ideal type, as he was from hers, so there was absolutely no way he'd want anything from her, no matter how physically driven he was. And truthfully, she wasn't sure if that rational thought alone made her feel better of her situation or for some reason, disappointed. Ciana felt a weird and foreign feeling of longing and hopefulness spring in her chest, hoping for some reason that Lucifer had seen her as more than a childhood friend in the moment they shared together in the tower. But as she took another glance at herself, seeing now for the first time that the dress she'd been wearing was completely gone and that she was only left in Lucifer's shirt, she forced herself to snap out of those impure thoughts. No, Lucifer and her couldn't ever be anything more than platonic acquaintances, everything they felt and said to each other ended up only breaking them more. There was absolutely no way feelings were involved in this whole equation.

"Emmeranne, what's the fastest way out of the academy grounds and how long would it be before I get spotted trying to escape?" The angel asked in a whisper as she laid her forehead on her crossed arms as she slumped down to the ground, completely mortified by the situation she encountered herself in.

She heard an amused scoff come out of her friend. "Was he that bad? One would've thought otherwise from the way Austie brags about their sex life..." Emmeranne said, looking down at the angel as she leaned against the vanity. Ciana sighed and shook her head, not daring to look up at the demon as pure embarrassment took over her. "No... I just... No... I just don't remember if we did it or not." Ciana mumbled incoherently, and even without looking up at her roommate, she could easily envision a smirk appearing on her lips, only causing the angel to further curl up into herself as a deep blush spread on her cheeks. Why was envisioning herself with Lucifer and what could of have happened between them make her suddenly so shy? It was so unlike her to feel so out of control over the situation and her feelings. And it was specially throwing her off at the way she was thinking of Lucifer in such a manner now- at how the demon's intentions and feelings towards her were suddenly starting to matter to her in ways different from the friendly ones she used to want from him.

"What's there to be so embarrassed about? Didn't you to get to it during your weekend getaway to his house? I thought the two of you became official by the time you came back, specially with the way the child was so protective over you when he brought you into the room this morning. If I didn't know better I'd say you've got him wrapped around your finger, girl." Ciana's eyes shot up at her roommate, suddenly realizing that up to this point she also had no clue how she'd gotten back into the room. "He brought me here?!" She asked in disbelief, throwing an incredulous look at the demon. But before she could get an answer out of her, a knock could be heard coming from their room door- and Ciana immediately felt herself freeze at the sound, immediately jumping to the worst case scenario she could think of. It couldn't be Lucifer, could it? Seeing as the angel wasn't going to move anytime soon, Emmeranne sighed and pushed herself from the vanity, heading out of the bathroom towards the bedroom door. Noticing what her roommate intended to do, Ciana pulled at her arm in a feeble attempt at stopping her, hoping that she could read the desperation in her eyes. But the angel only got a small laugh in return as the demon easily shrugged her hand away. "Guess your boy toy already misses you." She teased before disappearing from the angel's field of vision.

"No! Don't open the door!" Ciana hissed frantically after her as she sprung to her feet, looking around her in a hurry for a hiding spot. She was starting to debate whether to step into the shower and pull the curtains in hopes it would conceal her when she heard the door open. She could dimly make out Emmeranne talking to a muffled male voice- their exchanges lasting less than a few seconds, not giving the girl enough time to either eavesdrop on their conversation or find a proper hiding spot before her roommate eventually called out to her. "Roomie, your boyfriend is here!" She shouted, her voice resonating loudly through the spacious room. Internally groaning at her roommate's inconsiderate and apathetic attitude towards the girl's current situation, the angel sighed and quickly tried to make herself look as presentable as possible before stepping into the room, expecting to come face to face with the egotistical smirk of the demon that was completely taking over her mind at the moment. But instead, she was thrown off by the sight that greeted her at the door.

"What are you two doing here?" She asked surprised, confused at seeing Chase and Even at the door instead. Chase smiled at seeing the angel. "We thought that you might have a hard time getting out of bed today, with everything that happened the night before, so we thought we might come and cheer you up a bit with some company." He said, taking a step into the room towards the angel, only to falter a bit in his steps as he got closer to her- his smile sliding off his face for a second as his gaze landed on her. Confused by the sudden change in his attitude, Ciana followed his gaze, only to feel her heart drop as she realized she was still wearing Lucifer's shirt. Dread filled her veins as she quickly looked up at Chase, quickly trying to come up with a plausible explanation for why the male demon's shirt was hanging on her. But before she could utter a word, Even quickly grabbed onto Chase's arm, pulling him out the door at noticing the possible confrontation that could take place if the two stayed in the same room any longer. "We'll wait outside until you're ready. So don't take long, otherwise your breakfast will become stale before you can enjoy it." He said, throwing the girl a sympathetic look as he pulled his friend away from Ciana, saving the two from entering into an awkward dispute this early in the morning. With a click of the door as it shut behind the two males, an awkward and eerie silence fell over the two girls at the sudden change in the room's ambiance from the loudness the two guys had brought in.

"Can't say I'm mad about waking up early today after all... You guys sure are entertaining to watch." Emmeranne said.

* * *

For the next couple of days, Ciana tried her hardest at avoiding interacting with Lucifer as much as possible in hopes that with the less interacting she had with the demon, the quicker her odd new feelings on him would disappear. Which led her to purposely be late to class so that the demon couldn't possibly have enough time to taunt her or bring up anything relating to the night at the tower before being called to pay attention in class. Ciana also found herself making up excuses to partner up with other classmates when being asked to get into pairs, as well as finding ways to always seem engrossed or preoccupied at the moment to pay attention to the demon whenever she sensed him trying to catch her attention, and immediately dashing to the doors the moment classes ended. And she was sure her attempts and the motives behind her odd behaviour have become obvious to her friends as neither of them tried poking information out of her regarding the demon and her whereabouts on the night of Sammy's death, or anything regarding the ex-best friends and the connection between them and the black shirt the girl had don the morning they'd come to comfort her. Both guys well aware that Ciana didn't want either of them to ask her anything related to the son of Satan at the moment, so no one tried bringing up the topic, getting the hint that she didn't want to dwell on it until she was ready to open up to them about it. And so far it hadn't been too hard to do with Even standing as a mediator in between them to filter the conversations and shift the conversation into something less likely to hit the obvious topic that both Ciana and Chase were trying to avoid but would eventually and inevitably end up coming to discuss with each other as it dictated the path their relationship would take forward. But her luck could only carry her for so long, as a few days later she found herself alone with Chase as they silently walked down the halls towards their next class- Even unfortunately having had a separate class from theirs, leaving the two out of the three of them involved romantically with each other alone, the topic affecting their normally easy going relationship heavily sitting in the air between them, suffocating the two of them as they awkwardly walked next to each other almost in a manner that made them feel like strangers to each other. 

Ciana could tell that Chase was patiently waiting for an explanation to the unanswered events that had taken place all those days ago. And she was sure these curiousities had been eating at him since the moment his eyes had landed on her in Lucifer's shirt- the same demon who Ciana had verbally promised Chase she'd never felt a romantic connection to before. Ciana knew that seeing her in the demon's shirt couldn't have possibly sat well with him, but the male angel was too selfless to straight up ask her about it in the expense of the girl's comfort, even if his curiosity was slowly killing him at being left out in the cold regarding the feelings of girl he loved. But Ciana also understanding he wasn't the type of person who ventured into other's businesses if it didn't involve him. And as much as she wanted to tell him nothing was going on between her and the demon, she understood she would straight out be lying to not only Chase, but to herself as well if she said that. Because truthfully, she couldn't say she felt nothing on a romantic level towards the demon like she once did. So instead she opted to staying silent, because she was afraid that speaking out would solidify and be a sign of admitting that she was starting to catch feelings for Lucifer. And that was something that Chase didn't deserve from her.

"I'm not mad, nor really surprised at what I saw... So please don't say you're sorry." Chase finally said, giving the girl a small reassuring smile. The male angel reading into the situation and understanding the girl's hesitation to start up the long overdue conversation- taking the initiative in breaking the silence between them as the morning sun shining through the hallway windows painted the angel in a nice gold that illuminated his already warm tones. His soothing voice both welcoming and comforting to listen to compared to the strained silence they were in. "Even and I... We knew your and Lucifer's whereabouts were unknown to anyone after the chaos that surrounded Sammy's death, and I'm not going to lie and say that it didn't cross my mind a few times that the two of you would be together at the time." Ciana looked over at the green-eyed angel beside her, trying to get a read on his expressions, but he only gave her a small smile, somehow concealing his inner feelings. The concept of Chase hiding anything from her completely foreign, and it only made her heart become heavier in her chest at seeing the change in him because of her.

"Chase... I know what you saw, but please believe me that neither of us had intentions beyond that of residue attachment from our childhood, and as odd as it sounds, Lucifer truly only showed up to comfort me. And despite my lack or recollection after I passed out, I'm pretty sure nothing happened between us that night... And despite what you and Even saw- I sincerely don't know how I ended up in his shirt, but please know I never intended to hurt you." She said, breaking the tense silence between them, desperation in her eyes as she tried to get back the easy going angel she knew Chase as, while simultaneously fighting away the guilt pooling in her stomach as she bit back the fact that she felt something in having woken up in the demon's shirt. The thing was, Ciana loved him, she knew she loved Chase. But after what had occurred between Lucifer and her that night, for some reason that same affection she felt towards Chase was starting to make itself present towards the demon as well... For some reason the same feelings she had for Chase also had started harboring towards Lucifer, and it was manifesting at such a quick pace that it scared the girl to the point she couldn't come face to face with the demon in fright that it would only be a matter of time before she fully fell in love with him. And that was not an outcome that would benefit her.

Chase studied her devastated face for a second, fighting the urge to tuck the strand of stray hair floating over her face. "Ciana... I know you have feelings for him, and honestly... it was unavoidable. I don't think for a second you were lying when you first told me you only found him as a friend, but the longer time drags on and the more time you get to reconnect with each other, the more likely it is for you to develop feelings for him. For two individuals with such a complicated and long history together, and for a pair that the universe or Shepha themselves seemingly want to constantly throw together, falling for each other is only bound to happen." Chase said, giving the girl an understanding look, a lopsided smile appearing at the edge of his lips as he tried to comfort the girl. But his words only made the girl feel worst, knowing that Chase despite being hurt by her emerging feelings towards Lucifer, had at multiple times thought of and envisioned the possibility that Ciana would end up falling for Lucifer at one point or another before- even when she stubbornly had refused to believe in it herself. "I'm not... there's no possibility for me to be with Lucifer, Chase. My feelings can't develop into anything more for him, not like the way they do for you." She said, quietly grabbing onto the male angel's hands, trying to believe the words that she spoke out loud. And in her heart that's what she truly wanted to believe, that in the end she would end with Chase, because he was everything she envisioned herself wanting and needing- he was safety and always brought out the best of her, while Lucifer only brought out her impurities and made her realize how imperfect and fake she was in the world her family had created for her. And she hated everything the demon brought out of her.

Chase studied the girl in silence for a second before giving her a tired smile, squeezing her hand back. "If he couldn't mean any more to you, then you wouldn't be running from him Ciana. You're afraid of facing your feelings for him... We don't run from things unless we know there's some truth we're trying to avoid facing." He said, carefully turning to study the flickering sparks of gold in the girl's eyes.

"Chase..." The girl whispered softly, gripping the angel's hand tighter to hers as she closed her eyes, afraid he'd let go of her. Because through her whole time in the academy, Chase had become her safe home- her rock and safety. Losing him would only make her vulnerable and lost within this new raging whirlpool of emotions that frightened her beyond measures. And truth be told, she was frightened by it all. She couldn't bring herself to believe in falling for someone as egotistic and prideful as Lucifer- for someone who'd life wish was to make her life hell and made her his mortal enemy from the moment she reentered his life. Just how could someone give themselves up to someone who was filled with so much hatred? How could she, when her whole life she'd only learned to lead with love? Or when she'd spent her whole life loving the prideful demon with unconditional love?

Had Ciana been purposely avoiding running into Lucifer? Short answer: Yes. It wasn't something she was proud of, but considering what had happened between them the last time they met, the angel wasn't ready yet to come face to face with the demon yet. Because truthfully, something had shifted in the way she perceived and looked at Lucifer now. Initially she thought it was something to do with being awkward and mortified of having let her guard down around the demon, knowing he'd probably use her moment of weakness against her sometime in the future. But no, she knew it was more than that, she understood she was trying to find a way to downplay and blame Lucifer for the foreign feelings she was feeling towards him. Ciana knew the brief moment they shared together had made her feel something different towards Lucifer, she was starting to develop new feelings towards him... actual feelings. And as much as she tried to deny it, Chase was right, as he often was about the girl's feelings before she could decipher them herself- she was starting to catch feelings for Lucifer, although it wasn't something she was ready to admit or face just yet.

Chase pulled the girl to him, softly holding onto her as he gently patted her head in a soothing manner, trying to sooth the ache in the girl's heart in any manner he could. "I'm not giving up though... on neither you or me. Even knowing you have feelings for someone else, I'll never stop trying to win you over, my little happiness." Chase said, giving the girl a light kiss on her forehead. Ciana shut her eyes, taking in a shaky breath as she inhaled the familiar warm tones of the man holding her, trying to center herself and bring in as much comfort into herself as possible. "Chase, in my mind you'll always be my choice." The girl mumbled into his chest, the vibrations from her voice causing the male to laugh from the sensation. But just as they started feeling somewhat like their normal selves, a loud voice broke through their peace.

"Lucifer pretty much admitted to the whole school that Malbonte was real back at the hall, I knew they were trying to hide the fact he was back!" An anxious voice bounced off the stone walls as the angel ran down the halls, shouting towards a group of angels on the other side of the hall. And at her words, the hallway started filling with anxious murmurings, many of them throwing in a voice of agreement, saying they've also heard firsthand the demon talking about it from the celebratory dinner they had a few nights ago.

"Not to mention it seemed that that unclaimed seems to be connected to it as well- we can't ignore the fact that two of them had visions of Malbonte!" Another demon added, only fueling further the conversation.

At this point no one in the academy tried to hide at all the topic of their conversation- freely spreading gossip around as the main focus of the conversation as the demon wasn't present in their presence at the moment. "You heard him, he himself made it clear that Malbonte is real... he knew all along."

"Maybe he's part of it! What if he's the one who's connected to him? That's why he's so free to talk about it all the time?"

"He does hate Crowley enough to not care about what others think of him... What if he's helping Malbonte? He did say he wanted more rights for demons...WHAT IF HE'S TRYING TO OVERTHROW US ANGELS?!" The angel shouted, inducing mass panic throughout the crowd.

Chase looked down quietly at the girl who was silently watching the whole exchange, understanding already what the girl intended to do. "Don't... You'll only get dragged into the mess as well." He warned her quietly, but he already expected the girl to ignore him as she released herself from him, quickly extending to her tallest and confidently walking towards the crowd. Seeing as no one intended to stop their gossiping anytime soon, the girl clapped her hands together and summoned a blinding ball of glowing gold light between her hands, quickly throwing it into the air and watching it as it exploded over the crowd- a blinding flash of light illuminating the hallway and causing everyone to fall into a panicked silence at the sudden attack. Coming to the realization that they weren't truly being attacked, the crowd slowly turned in stunned silence towards the angel that was patiently waiting for their attention.

"Gossiping is for children- Don't spread stupid nonsense around unless you're sure of your assumptions... Otherwise you'll end up looking like a fool." She said coldly, stunning the babbling crowd into complete silence before heading towards her classroom, noticing that it made no sense to stay around any longer amongst the gossiping crowd. But just as she was about to turn back around towards her class, she found herself blocked by a tall and strongly built body. Slowly dragging her eyes upwards, she came face to face with the one person she didn't want to run into at the moment. Lucifer looked down at her silently, none of his emotions betraying him, but even without saying anything, the girl just knew he'd seen the whole confrontation, and the way his eyes searched into hers made her feel suddenly exposed before him. Tearing her eyes away from him, the girl quickly pushed past him towards the class doors, trying to ignore everyone's eyes on her.

Chase let Ciana walk ahead of him, watching her silently as she sent him a curious and questioning glance, which he returned with a small nod to before the girl ventured through classroom doors alone and found herself a seat near the windows, leaving the two males alone at the doors of the class. Making sure she was out of earshot and preoccupied after she opened the book in front of her, Chase turned to Lucifer after making sure the crowd had dissipated and left them alone. "You're a moron." He said calmly as he leaned against the door to the room, throwing the demon an amused look.

"Excuse me?" Lucifer asked, raising an eyebrow at the bluntness of the angel before him, causing him to tear his gaze away from the girl on the opposite side of the door. Chase continued unfazed. "If you truly want her, then fight for her instead of standing like a f*cking doormat at her feet." Lucifer scoffed at the disrespectful angel. "Do you realize who you're talking to, angel? I'm not someone you should be talking this way to." Lucifer sneered.

Chase shrugged, unafraid of the demon before him. "It's your father everyone's afraid of, you're just a puppet using his name to your advantage- hoping people become frightened of you by it. I've got nothing to fear." Chase said confidently, causing the demon to narrow his eyes at him. Who was he to talk to him this way? "You're the princess' friend, aren't you? What is it that you want to achieve from this little chat?" He asked, folding his arms in front of him, his attention now fully focused on the male angel before him.

"For you to realize how stupid you're acting. I see the way you look at her, hell everyone can see it! Everyone is aware of the way the both of you look at each other, yet for some reason you choose to keep pushing her away after making her feel certain ways. All I want is for you to choose and stop playing with her- she's way more deserving than to have to be played by someone like you." Lucifer scoffed in amusement, looking down at the angel with a dark laugh. "Yeah? What makes you think I have a thing for the stupid angel? And what makes you believe you're a much better candidate for her than anyone else?" He asked, tilting his head to the side as he smirked at the angel, only to have his smirk immediately wiped off from Chase's next words.

"You wouldn't risk your life for her if you didn't feel anything for her... That day on the field, you immediately recognized Ciana's distressed energy even before it blew up and became visible to the school- you immediately recognized it, and disregarding everything at the moment with no care of the consequences that would follow, you jumped out of the class to get to her as if your life depended on it... One wouldn't do that unless they felt something for someone."

"You don't know what you're talking about, angel." Lucifer said bitterly, but his eyes deceived him as it briefly flickered to the girl sitting across the door from them. But Chase caught it, the corner of his lip tugging upwards at the sight. "One can tell the two of you grew up together by the way your eyes betray you when you lie..." The angel said amused.

Lucifer looked at him coldly. "If you liked the princess that much wouldn't you try to persuade me to leave her alone? Are you not afraid of me as competition?" He asked in a hiss.

"No, it's because I like her that much that I'm telling you this. Because in the end it's her choice who she picks- and I love her enough to not take her options away from her and let her choose for herself. It doesn't mean that I'm giving up on her, not at all. But in the end it's her happiness that matters to me the most, and whether it's you or me that ends up being her happiness then that's all that matters to me." Chase said. "So either show her how much you care or step out, I won't allow her to get hurt by you if you're just playing games." The angel said, steely resolve in his eyes before he turned around and opened the door, walking in and taking a seat next to the girl.

* * *

Having had her last class of her day cancelled due to some incident that had occurred in the classroom, the angel was left with a little extra time to wander around the school freely. But walking around the school grounds on her own made her feel restless, and right now the last thing she needed was being left alone to further ponder and stress over her mess of a love life- not wanting to dwell further on the talk she had with Chase earlier and how he'd pointed out that the only reason she was feeling this confused and conflicted with herself was because subconsciously, she was fighting herself and denying her feelings towards Lucifer. So instead she decided best to put her focus somewhere else and preoccupy her mind as much as possible, leading the girl to venture down towards the library situated in the fiery realm of Hell. For the most part the library was pretty empty, most students still in classes or not caring enough to venture into further studies on a Friday afternoon. At first she wandered around aimlessly, picking up a random book here and there, absentmindedly riffling through the pages of some semi interesting looking books before shoving them back into their respectable places. Taking her time to leisurely walk down random aisles as the concept of time became irrelevant to her at this point, for the most part nothing caught her attention long enough to interest her enough to specifically pick up anything. Just as she started heading towards a section catering to Human Mythology, her gaze eventually fell on a plague that seemingly caught her attention: _Hell's History._

For a second she stood still as she continued staring at the plaque, and then without much thought she headed straight in between the shelves- suddenly recalling her promise to Even regarding her research into the orphanage and finding anything relating to his lost family. She understood that her chances at finding anything here would be close to none, knowing for a fact that Even himself had riffled through all the books in this place prior to her, but determination on helping her friend denied her to give up. Maybe he'd missed something or overlooked an important piece when he'd been doing his research, and who knew, maybe luck would spontaneously decide to be on her side today. Humming softly to herself, the girl carefully looked over the spines of the books before her, tracing the perfectly organized books with her index finger as she moved down from the side of the aisle to the next- the girl occasionally stopping to pick up a promising looking one before continuing her mantra. Soon enough she had a stack at her disposal, feeling remotely satisfied with the collection in her hands, the girl started heading towards a vacant table when her gaze suddenly landed on a worn out leather-bound book sitting idly and forgotten at the very back of a shelf in what seemed to be one of the least ventured aisles in the library. The sole book encased in what seemed to be a glass casing piquing her interest, the girl absentmindedly put down the stack of books in her hands on an empty shelf before quietly walking down the dusty and ominous looking aisle and towards the book. The book seemed to be behind some glass case as it sat untouched in front of the library window, blood red light ominously washing onto the open pages of the book as it streamed through the thick windowpane. Taking a careful glance over it, the girl could make out a few phrases here and there written in Latin, a language her parents had made her become fluent in early in her training as a Seraph prodigy in the making. "The great wars of Heaven and Hell." She managed to translate. Frowning, the girl quickly read through the next lines. "All prophesies relating to the two powerful sides starting from the great creation by Shepha to the prophetic ends..." Suddenly intrigued by the book, the girl started turning around to ask the librarian for permission to take a look at it if possible when a warm wind suddenly blew at her back, a dim white light shadowing the girl's figure as it shone against her. Confused, the girl spun back around, only to find the casing on the book completely gone- leaving the book open and free for her to pick up. Surprised and a bit thrown off by the sudden disappearance of the glass case, the girl hesitantly leaned towards the book, carefully flipping through some pages to test out if anything else was going to happen. But nothing did, in her hands the pages felt normal and nothing seemed out of the ordinary with it. And against all her better judgement, the girl decided to pick it up, a deep feeling that maybe this book called out to her because it had something to tell her. Quickly picking up the rest of the discarded books she'd left behind, the girl took the bundle over to the nearest table, anxiously dumping the material before her as she picked up the first book of the collection, deciding to leave the book on prophesies for last since Even had become her priority at the moment despite how much she wanted to reach out for the leather-bound book instead.

The next couple of hours were met with disappointment and frustration as nothing she picked and read through gave her a lead or answers towards her friend's problems. Groaning in annoyance, the girl threw the eight book of the pile into the 'nothing but a waste of time' pile. So far everything she'd read involved the creation of Hell and the construction of the great prison. There were a few sentences on the actual castle and how many servants worked under Satan's rule, but nothing was mentioned on the orphanage or the system just like Adimiron and Lucifer had told her before. Raking her fingers through her hair in disappointment of having wasted so much time on nothing, the girl closed her eyes. She could only imagine the frustration Even must have felt himself having read through everything for years in hopes of finding something or even a small lead to his family only to constantly come up with nothing. Defeated, the girl slumped in her seat, placing her head on the small pile left over from her original sizable stack. And as she reopened her eyes, her gaze landed on the leather-bound cover book that she'd been itching to pick up the last couple of hours. Sighing in resignation and falling for temptation, the girl pushed away the last few books, giving her enough room on the table to fully open up the massive volume that had been begging to be opened from the moment her eyes had landed on it. Flipping through the pages, at first nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just as the book's title suggested, it had every prophesy written in it, and for a moment the girl felt a dull sense of disappointment, hoping to have come across something more interesting from how heavily protected the book had been. Sighing in resignation but unwilling to go back to her research just yet, the girl decided to reread the prophesy on the creation of humans as it was one that truly had piqued her interest even as a child. Once done with it, she found herself randomly flipping through the pages in boredom, until her fingers stopped shifting through the pages as she came across a fully metallic page- nothing written or depicted on it, the only thing looking back at her being her own bemused expression as the shiny metal reflected her image back at her. Frowning in confusion at the odd page, the girl started feeling around it, maybe hoping something would trigger it to reveal something. Just when she was about to give up in her attempts and come to the conclusion it was probably left in there as a prank, the girl suddenly felt a cold sensation running through her veins, and as her hands brushed against the page, a mix of black and gold energy rushed through her fingertips- the blend of energy seeping into the metallic sheets. And not a second after, cursive writing started materializing before her, the new scripture written in Latin just as the rest of the book had been- the once blank canvas of a page now suddenly depicting a new prophesy:

_The Set of Two_

_The unifiers or destroyers of the final balance between Heaven and Hell reside in the decision of the set of two. When the rulers of mind and soul combine under the unification of day and night and become one, the sun and moon will give way to a new era. For Heaven and Hell to survive, everything relies on the sacrifice of a side- the sun must set with the help of the edge dripping in the blood of pain and love in order to allow a new moon to emerge, and in turn for a new day cycle to come. Only then will both sides survive. Everything depends on the set of two- the two opposing sides that couldn't have been born without the other hold the power to turn the tide that will inevitably flourish by the cursed child Malbonte... Whether the side favouring or depleting Malbonte's ruling and power depends on the bloodline of the firsts with connections to all three sides... The set of two hold the power of balance or destruction at their hands..._

Ciana frowned at the scripture. The girl had been taught everything related to the history of Heaven and Hell through her intensive lessons from her professors back at home. She'd read and studied most, if not all the important prophesies and scriptures known to both sides from the beginning of time up to the last known prophesy. But she clearly didn't recall reading anything on this specific piece. Seeing it in this book amongst all the other pieces she'd learned by heart meant it had to be a legitimate piece right? But as the girl read over the scripture again trying to make sense of it, the more she frowned. Why would anyone try to conceal such a piece?

"What's to your displeasure to make such a distasteful face towards the book?" An amused voice called out to her, breaking the girl from her deep state of wonder. "Huh?" She muttered absentmindedly as she tore her eyes from the scripture and her gaze landed on the demon closely studying her from the opposite side of the table. Ciana immediately felt herself tensing and freezing up at finding Lucifer sitting calmly and casually opposite her- his feet laying comfortably and lazily over the wooden table as he leaned back on his chair with a book open in front of him. Ciana looked him over in stunned silence. When'd he get there?

"How long have you been there for?" She asked incredulously, both in awe and in disbelief at how she'd never noticed him despite how comfortable he seemed to be, inclining on the fact he'd been sitting there for a while. The demon shrugged, quirking a crooked smirk at the baffled look on the girl's face. "Long enough to make me wonder if you'd become a stone figure right in front of me." He said amused, reeling in the girl's eye roll as she dropped the book before her and stretched from having been bent over in front of the material she'd picked to read for such an extended time, only now realizing how stiff her body was from the elongated time she'd spent sitting. 

"What were you reading anyways? It looked like you were trying to set the book on fire with the intensity you held towards it." Lucifer said as he closed his book and tossed it carelessly to the side, giving the girl his full attention. Ciana tensed once more at his words, suddenly remembering the topic of her research as she guiltily threw a glance at the stack of books piled up in front of her. Noticing the demon's eyes following her every movement, she hesitantly closed a few of them, taking her time to sort them out while she tried to calm down the quick bubbling in her stomach at the possibility of almost being caught searching for clues relating to Even's family and the orphanage under Lucifer's nose. "Nothing. Just some quick history reading." She said nonchalantly, avoiding the demon's searching eyes as she tidied up the stack in front of her, hoping to seem preoccupied enough for the demon to lose interest in the topic. No such luck. Without much as a warning, the demon reached out and pulled the book Ciana was just about to close, quickly taking it away from the girl before she even had time to register what had happened. "Hey!" She hissed, to which the demon responded to by simply put a finger to his lips, throwing the girl a playful look before turning his attention to the open pages of the book. "Shh princess, this is a library we're in." He said mockingly, ignoring the girl's panicked look as he scanned through the book's pages with his striking red eyes. Waiting for a reaction from him was torturous, Ciana felt her insides fill with dread as Lucifer's smirk slowly slipped down his face as a frown started making its way in, and at his expression, the angel inwardly groaned and shut her eyes, expecting the demon to blow up on her right there and then. But the words that came out of the demon's mouth was something she would've never expected.

"The children miss you." Was all the demon said as he kept his eyes trained on the pages of the book he was holding, not a hint of anger, or, well, pretty much anything else displaying in his voice. Ciana slowly reopened her eyes, hesitantly looking over at Lucifer as he continued shifting through the pages calmly, ignoring the girl's questioning gaze. "I must say, you've left quite a memorable mark on them, princess. For a group of children that never had seen an angel before, and only had been fed hateful thoughts regarding them, you somehow managed to get on their good graces. But I shouldn't be surprised by that anymore, you somehow always manage to convert others onto your side no matter how much they detest you at the start. They wouldn't stop asking and pestering me with questions regarding your injuries after the incident, or whether you'd ever visit them again- which mind you, I told them not to hold their breaths on after firsthandedly having been let down by your promises." The demon said cooly, a small knowing smile tugging at a corner of his lip as he inserted a small jab in his word as he finally looking up to meet the angel's surprised look.

"Winchesto told me about your interest in the orphanage, as well as the orphanage's registry list." He said after noticing the girl wasn't saying from her stunned silence. The red eyed demon finally shut the book in his hands and placed it on the table between them, his piercing red eyes training on her golden hazel ones. "You won't find any of that through books, my father made sure to not get anything published on it and into the library... Although I might know a thing or two about it." Ciana couldn't help but frown at him, completely stunned. "You're... you're not angry at me for snooping around?" The angel asked bewildered, but instead of a smirk or degrading comment she'd expected him to throw at her, he simply gave her a shrug, the demon placing his interlocked hands behind his head as he looked down at her. "I may not know your reasoning or intentions behind your sudden interest in the subject, but... my mom would have liked to have seen someone fight for her dream to be achieved... Specially since it's you who's interested." He said with a small scoff at the end, and for the first time since she'd gotten to know Lucifer again, a small vulnerability and an expression of love showed through his rough exterior. Feeling the girl's pitying look on him, he quickly recovered his usual ice cold demeanor. "I'll help you get the information you need, but you better bet that I'll be asking for a favour back when I need it." He said. Ciana didn't like the sound of that, not at all. There's always been saying to not make a promise with the devil, and she was sure that that applied to Lucifer as well. But against all her rationale and the little voice in her head trying to warn her into rethinking her choices, the girl already knowing that it could end up bad for her, Ciana nodded. "Alright." Smirking in satisfaction, the demon started getting up from his seat, only to pause and turn to the angel once more, the playfulness and the easy going feel he had now completely wiped off. His red eyes searching for something in her hazel golden ones. "You've been avoiding me lately, why's that?"

Ciana felt her heart sink, through her worries at concealing her research for Even from the demon, she'd completely forgotten about the big elephant in the room. "I... I haven't been avoiding you." She said, trying to put on her most convincing calm expression as she absentmindedly picked up a random book, aimlessly flipping through the pages in hopes of seeming unfazed by his question. Lucifer scoffed at her. "Right, you can't really hide anything from me, princess. Forgot how well we know each other?" He asked her with a smirk, leaning his body forward and placing his hands on the table, trapping her in between them so that he was leaning into the girl's face, making her look up at his piercing red eyes. Ciana tried to ignore the sudden erratic jumps of her heart, trying to seem as unfazed as possible as she starred unflinchingly into the demon's eyes. "Knew, Lucifer. Past tense. We knew each other." She whispered. Lucifer raised an eyebrow in surprise at the girl's response. "Some habits don't change, princess- and I'm sure I'm not the only person who's noticed you trying to avoid me, so don't go playing your little ignorant game hoping I give up my chase, because I never stop until I get the kill." He said, the demon's eyes dropping to the girl's lips for a second, his gaze staying on the rosy pinks of them for a second before shifting back up to her hazel golden eyes. "So either you tell me straight up the answer of I'll continue chasing you down with my methods before you finally tell me." Ciana's eyes flicked with a hint of lust for a second, her stomach doing flips at the way the demon had sensually looked at her lips. Gulping and snapping out of her trance, the girl quickly and hastilly got up from her chair, clumsily picking up her discarded materials and shoving them to a nearby reshelving cart before she picked up her jacket. "I have to go." She mumbled as she sprinted by the demon, hoping that the red of her cheeks could be covered by her long hair. For a second she thought she was in the clear as she got to the library's door- relief and a sense of freedom washing over her before she once more got stopped in her tracks, the demon's voice calling after her before she could set foot out of the threshold.

"We didn't have sex that night, your highness. I just thought your dress was too much of a hassle to carry you in, so I changed you into my shirt instead." Lucifer called out to her, a satisfied smirk appearing on his face at the deep red blush that made its way to the girl's cheeks at his public declaration. If one could die of public mortification, this would be where Ciana would have dropped. Lucifer caught the girl send him a death glare from across the room, before trying to compose herself enough to get out with some of her pride still intact. Watching the girl clumsily stumble her way out of the library doors as she tried dodging onlooker's intrigued gazes, Lucifer couldn't help but feel himself smile. It brought him a certain amount of joy knowing he had that kind of effect on the girl- that it wasn't a one way street where he fell at her mercy with her deceivingly innocent ways that somehow managed to catch his attention every time he looked at her. As everyone's focus started going back to their original tasks after the angel left, Lucifer's smile faltered slightly, suddenly recalling the reason why he'd come down to see her in the first place. Slowly, the demon pulled out prestige invitation out of his pocket, carefully opening it once more to read its content. _You've been courteously been invited to attend the great gala in celebration of the Chief Seraphs accomplishments,_ He read once more. Lucifer bit his lip as he fiddled with the invitation in his hands, a victorious smirk playing on his lips.

"You haven't won yet, angel. I'll fight for her just like you asked me to...You've got yourself a war." He mumbled to himself, shoving back the golden embroidered paper into his pocket as he threw one last glance at the empty threshold.

"Children... Never taking in consideration how to behave in a library." He heard the librarian's disapproving voice mumble behind him. Lucifer was about to leave as well when all of a sudden something caught his eye on the shelving cart the angel had just dumped her mountain of books hastily onto as she tried running from him earlier. The leather-bound book... What was it doing out of the case? And it seemed he wasn't the only one to take notice of it as the librarian reached out to it before Lucifer could get to it. "How does this keep happening? This is the second time this book has been taken out of the enchanted case!" She huffed in frustration as she picked up the book and mumbled her way down towards its rightful spot, leaving the demon baffled by what he'd just heard.

* * *

Ciana smiled respectfully at the archangel animatedly talking to her, nodding and pretending to be engrossed by their umpteenth time retelling of the story on their great role in the last great war while she took a sip of her third glift of the night, hoping it could buzz her up enough to make it through another round of greetings and socializing at the gala. She never was a big fan of these balls, where everyone put on a show and pretended at being all that when in reality their only interest were on smooching their way up to a higher position while simultaneously bragging about their so called accomplishments. And unfortunately for Ciana, due to her high status and her family name, it meant that attending these events was almost never avoidable, specially when everyone already assumed she'd become the great successor to her family's accomplishments and follow in their footsteps in becoming the next great Seraph. And after all the sacrifices and efforts her parents had put into gaining their respectable titles, there was absolutely no way they'd allow Ciana to leave her role. The one thing she did manage to learn from the thousands of gatherings she'd attended to similar to the one she currently was in, was to perfectly execute a fecade of interest and elegance while portraying the perfect role of a proper host even when she wished for nothing more than to possibly burn down the place if she had the chance to. She could feel herself droning and becoming unfocused in her current conversation, her attention quickly diminishing to the point she started coming up with a plausible enough excuse to bail on the small gathering around her when suddenly she spotted one of the maids frantically make her way towards the group, politely excusing herself before pulling Ciana away from the group of influential angels and towards the railings of the second floor overlooking the main floor- relieving the girl from having to come up with an excuse herself.

"Celine, you have no idea how happy I am you pulled me away from there, one more second and I was sure that-" The angel started saying in relief before being stopped by her companion. "Miss Ciana, we can talk about that later- we've got bigger problems than this." She said frantically, shakily pointing at a spot down at the main hall where most of the guests were conversing. Confused, Ciana followed where her maid was pointing towards, looking around unsure of what she as zeroing on until her gaze landed on an all too familiar tall and black clad individual with piercing red eyes- an individual that had become the bane of her existence these last couple of days. The demon's dark presence easily contrasting against the bright whites surrounding him, easily standing out like a sore thumb among the the guests that started accumulating around him in curious wonder. Ciana felt her heart completely freeze over at the sight.

"What is he doing here?!" She asked in disbelief, her eyes trained on Lucifer and the escalating situation unfolding in front of her- noticing how the room's atmosphere and attention were all starting to shift away from the festivities and towards the source of disruption instead. The sight of Satan's son being present in a gala filled with the most influential angels in Heaven seemingly piquing and stealing everyone's interest. "I'm sorry my lady, but he had an invitation- the guards couldn't deny his access." The maid whispered, afraid of the situation before them. "Your parents surely won't be happy finding him here... How did he manage to get an invitation in the first place?" Ciana blinked a few times in stunned silence as she looked around her, her gaze falling onto a familiar brown haired individual across the room, the girl suddenly recalling the incident that occurred in the academy's hallways a few weeks prior.

"I think I got an idea how..." She whispered in disbelief at noticing Archangel Halos looking over the rails at the event with a satisfied smirk on his face from the other side of the room. That scheming bastard... He really would do anything to bring down and embarrass Lucifer's family if he had the change- even if it was at the expense of her own family. Noticing the man shifting and starting to head down towards the centre of the riot, probably to watch his rueful scheme unfold with a front row view and to add on his own input into the situation and embarrass the demon further- Ciana before she could properly think through her actions, shoved her nearly empty glift to Celine before hiking up her long skirt and descending down the spiral stairs, ignoring the shouts of her maid as she tried to call for her, her heels clicking loudly against the marbled floors as she elegantly rushed forward towards the demon. Panic and dread bubbling within the angel as she tried making her way across the crowded hall, politely declining and walking past other angels as they tried getting her attention as she attempted by some miracle to come up with a plan to get Lucifer out without causing a scene before her parents found out about the situation.

Just what could he possibly have been thinking and wanting to get out of coming here? Ciana bit her lip in order to keep herself from swearing, still fully aware of the crowd and atmosphere surrounding her.

"What are you doing here, Satan's son? Don't you see this is an angel gathering?" She heard an archangel sneer in distaste at Lucifer from across the room as he looked him up in disgust, the sight of Satan's son at an angel gathering not sitting well with him to act civilized enough at the moment. "I don't understand how you got in here but know that you're not wanted. So I think we agree as a collective that it's best for you to step out right now before you cause a bigger scene than you already have." They continued, and at his words, a few angels around him threw in their verbal agreement, and Ciana from the corner of her eyes could make out a few guards starting to make their way towards the confrontation. At this point Ciana expected for Lucifer to make a scene, the demon never having taken criticism or being looked down upon well- specially when coming from angels with lesser status than him. Ciana felt herself getting more anxious as she quickened her steps, trying to make her way through the crowd before either the guards or Archangel Halos made it to Lucifer before her, afraid that if she didn't get there on time, Lucifer in all his demonic glory would end up causing a scene and completely ruining her parent's special night. But completely against everything the angel thought Lucifer would do in the situation, he simply bowed to the surrounding angels in respect, not a hint of cockiness or mock in his gestures. "Sorry for causing such a scene, those were not my intentions. I'm here as a guest, I don't intend on causing any trouble here." He said calmly, the usual roughness and disrespect he carried with him seemingly gone at the moment. And Ciana would be lying if she said his uncharacteristic attitude didn't completely throw her off.

"Invited? Huh! Know your place, demon. We know who your father is and what he feels towards us, so please don't act as if someone from our side would possibly invited you personally." The angel sneered at Lucifer. "Guards, please escort this intruder away from here please." But before the guards could take a step further towards Lucifer and the situation could intensify any further, Ciana quickly stepped into the commotion and cleared her throat, bringing everyone's attention to her. "Actually, archangel Mitch, there's no intruder here. I was the one who invited him." The angel said calmly, taking a step closer so that everyone's focus landed on her- a calm and composed expression on her face as she studied the situation before her- Clear surprise rifling through the crowd at the girl's words. When no one answered back as they looked at her in stunned silence at her declaration, Ciana took the opportunity to walk forward towards the demon and hook her arm around Lucifer's- giving a show that no one should dare interfere with the demon while she was there, her status and level of respect due to her family calling for respect. Ciana could feel Lucifer's eyes trained on her, feeling him exuding surprise at her unprecedented protectiveness shown towards him, but she ignored him, keeping her attention on the familiar crowd in front of her, afraid that if she faced the demon right no she would instantly lose her composure and cool from the situation he brought onto the two of them. In the silence that followed, Ciana took the opportunity to give a small curt nod towards the guards, telling them the situation was under control before they backed off and went back to their posts. At this point the whole gala's attention was focused on them, the room filled with stunned silence as they tried to digest the fact that Ciana personally allowed Satan's son into their home in Heaven. Why would Ciana, the highest held child of the Seraphs- the golden child that was perceived as the purest form of an angel possibly have in connection to Lucifer? Because with the influence of her parents and the quick severing of ties between them and their connection to Lucifer's family, no one other than them were aware of the deep history the two had together. Just the way her parents intended it to be. Which was why it was also causing so much commotion amongst the angels at the moment.

"Miss Ciana? You invited him? But why would you? This is your parent's night or recognition, why would you be inviting such an individual to an event like this?" Archangel Mitch asked her aghast, looking between the pair in front of him in confusion, unsure of what to make out of the situation. But Ciana simply gave him a glowing smile, putting on her most convincing calm expression on her face, concealing the deep anxiety and sickness that was quickly bubbling within her as she tried ignoring the hundreds of eyes focused on her. Simultaneously noticing out of the corner of her eyes Archangel Halos watching the exchange closely, wondering what was the hold up and why his plans weren't going accordingly. And at catching sight of him, a fire ignited within Ciana, unwilling to allow the Archangel to gain anything by having set up the whole thing and putting both her parents and Lucifer in the cross of fire just for his own pleasure.

"Lucifer here is a classmate of mine at the academy, and he taught me a lot regarding the differences of both of our words when I first entered, and even personally showed me his world in a hospitable and respectful manner. And I thought that it was only polite to show him our world as well in exchange, which is why I invited him to the gala in hopes of showing just hospitable everyone here is as well... but truthfully I'm kind of disappointed in the way everyone's treated my guest so far... It's such a pity seeing the highest held angels in Heaven act in such a disrespectful way towards a guest..." Ciana said, slowly and quietly looking at the individuals surrounding them in silent judgement. And at her gaze, they all looked down in shame, being called out by Ciana finally making them realize how un-angelically they've acted. "Now that everything is cleared up, I would really appreciate it if you all didn't ruin my parent's night and allowed me and my companion to enjoy the rest of the evening." The girl said before curtly bowing and pulling Lucifer after her, everyone else parting in respect for her as they mumbled apologies towards the pair as they made their way out of the crowd, but not before Ciana quickly threw a subtle glance over at Archangel Halos, signaling to him that she'd deal with him later.

Lucifer could feel the girl's silent rage towards him radiating off of her, contrasting to her seemingly calm exterior as she guided both of them away from the crowd, and just by simply looking at her one wouldn't have been able to detect such emotions from her- the girl having somehow become a master concealer of her emotions towards the outside world. But unlike most people in the room, no one had gotten a chance to see and personally get acquainted with the girl's emotions and the tell tale signs of her true feelings like he had. And truthfully he took pride in it, knowing that despite so many people pretending to be close to her, that he was one of the only ones that no matter how deceiving she could be to the rest of the world, she could never hide anything from him. He could read her as easily as an open book. "Who knew- You really are a princess here, huh? I was joking when I gave you the name, but now seeing the influence you have on everyone, can't say I'm surprised. I knew your bossiness and uptight personality had something to do with your status." Lucifer finally said with a smirk when they were out of earshot of the crowd, everyone else giving them the space they needed on their own.

Ciana threw the demon a deadly glare. "Not now, Lucifer- don't talk unless you want me to permanently seal those lips of yours." She hissed quietly, swiping a glift from a passing by tray before she threw it back and swallowed its contents in one swift move, sighing in satisfaction before slamming the empty glass down on the same tray it had arrived in- the caterer looking up at her in utter surprise as she pulled Lucifer out of the hall. And it took everything within the demon to stop himself from mumbling the indecent thought that came to his mind at the girl's words, somehow understanding that this was not the moment to joke around with a buzzed up royal.

Lucifer had never been scared of anyone before, least of all towards the golden eyed angel he was obediently following suite after as if he were a lost dog pinning after its owner. But there was certainly something intimidating about the way the girl quietly led him out of the busy and crowded party filled with the most influential angels in Heaven in such a poised and ethereal way that made him feel powerless compared to her- specially after firsthandedly experienced the extend of her power back in the hall. He used to mock her for the way the angels in the academy and even the professors favoured her, thinking they were exaggerating with the way they perceived the girl so highly, but it wasn't until now that he realized how contrary to what he'd seen in the academy, the power and status she exuded was beyond anything he'd imagined- The power she just radiated in that room being on a level Lucifer had never seen or expected from her, and only now did he realize how much power she held back and concealed when at school. Unlike the normal girl he'd met back when they were children, somehow her family had ascended to such a high position that it made him question if he knew them at all.

Lucifer felt as if he were under a trance and completely left at the girl's mercy as he allowed the angel to lead them down a dimply lit pathway into the quiet and eerily empty gardens of her home, the light glow of the enchanting moon overhead illuminating the bountiful flowerbeds around them. The angel's cold and uncharacteristically unfriendly aura of the angel before him to feel shivers course through his body. He didn't know what to think of the situation, he couldn't get a read on the girl's thoughts or her intentions towards him as she led Satan's son with a powerful and compelling air as they walked under the open moon. After what felt like an eternity of silence, the girl finally stopped at the base of a golden water fountain sitting proud in the middle of the garden, the girl indicating for the demon to take a seat on the perfectly carved fixture while she pressed her back against a vertically standing flower hedge wall facing him. But instead of following her instructions, the demon stood proudly in front of her, causing the girl to slightly roll her eyes but otherwise said nothing more on the matter.

"Nice place- definitely bigger and much better fit for a princess of your high status than your old home- now I feel robbed not being invited to your housewarming party." Lucifer said mockingly as he took in the prim and way too perfect garden around them, trying to dissolve the suffocating silence hanging between them. But the angel didn't fall for his deflective methods, instead she continued glaring at him, not giving him any indication of intending to listen to his filtered talks. The little crease on her forehead as she tried to keep her cool and composure as she faced him only making him more amused by the situation. "You're mad." He noticed, a smirk tugging at his lips as he leaned forward until they were just a breath away from each other- the demon taking the opportunity to closely study the girl's golden orbs, intrigued by the reflecting white light from the moon that mixed with the golden tones of her eyes. But the girl didn't flinch nor give him any indication of being affected by their proximity.

"I told you not to come." Was all she said as she starred at him blankly, not an ounce of emotion showing on her features as she folded her arms over her chest, the moonlight illuminating her face in such a way it made it hard for the demon to keep himself focused on the discussion instead of studying her features from such close proximity- an alluring and bewitching look emitting off of the girl as her golden aura reflected and mixed with the silvers and whites of the moon. 

Lucifer raised an eyebrow at her, amused by her cold attitude in contrast to the welcoming one she portrayed back in the party- the quick transition in her emotions fascinating him. She truly was a great actor, he had to give her credit for that. "Your parents truly worked some magic into you, princess. How'd they managed to make you such a good liar? What happened to the emotionally driven girl I used to know from childhood- The one that gave everything away due to her lack of control over her emotions?" He asked with curiosity, tilting his head slightly to the side as his gaze shifted from her eyes downwards towards the girl's lips- bright red and full, alluringly calling for him to take them.

"She died a long time ago, as should everything from the past." The girl answered coldly, her eyes tracking the demon's every move, noticing the way his eyes handed on her lips, the girl trying to ignore the warmth pooling in her stomach as he looked at her as if he wanted nothing more than to devour her. "Now answer, what are you doing here?" She asked him, keeping her voice as leveled as she could, bringing back the demon's focus onto her eyes- which now held an air of hostility towards him. Lucifer raised an eyebrow at the girl's tone. "My, your highness, wouldn't it have been rude to have ignored your parents' invitation? How does one possibly deny Shepha's favourite Seraph family's invite to their special night?" He asked challengingly as he copied her pose and pressed his back against the garden wall opposite to hers, starring back into the angel's hardened eyes- the gold in them reflecting the light from the moon lazily hanging over them. There was a brief moment of silence when Lucifer thought he'd rendered the angel speechless, only to be hit back with an annoyed scoff. "You tell me, Satan's son. Surely your family name holds more authority than mine?" She retaliated, and despite her voice being mostly void of any emotions, her words managed to jab at the demon as if they were dripping with acid. The demon stayed still, unsure of how to answer back to the angel.

"You're not stupid, Lucifer. You know my parents would never personally invite you over. They've been doing everything in their power to suppress and keep me away from you the last few centuries- feeding me lies and throwing every excuse imaginable until I became discouraged to even think of you... They've cut all ties relating us to you and your family all those centuries ago- why in the world would it even remotely cross your mind that they would suddenly think of inviting you into our home at all? The last thing they'd do would be letting you enter our home on their personal request." She hissed, the silent anger that had been building within her from the moment her eyes had landed on the demon back in the hall starting to burst from her, the girl narrowing her eyes at the demon as she tried reading behind his true intentions, detecting any hidden agenda behind his appearance at the gala. "I know you know that yourself, so I don't understand why you still decided to attend at all. What could you possibly gain from coming here? What could possibly have motivated you enough to possibly make you join a gala full of the most influential angels in Heaven?" She asked in desperation, throwing her hand up as an exasperated sigh escaped her lips, showing just how worn out she'd become after orchestrated this whole escape route for Lucifer.

Lucifer stayed silent, his eyes focusing on the golden orbs looking up at him inquisitively, fatigue and incomprehension flashing through the set of eyes the demon had been slowly becoming a prisoner towards... "This is your parent's special night... I wanted to show them respect for their achievements. I thought it'd be impolite to not attend with having known them before and all..." He said barely above a whisper, his excuse sounding stupid even to him. But how else would he explain it to her? That he was quickly falling for her and that he thought that showing up to her parent's special night he'd somehow manage to impress her enough to win her heart back? No... he couldn't because he was no dashing prince on a white horse like that infuriating green-eyed angel was. No, Lucifer wasn't the one she wanted to see show up to the gala for her, he knew that the perfect male angel who'd gotten into his head and challenged him for the girl's heart was the one Ciana wished was in his place facing her instead.

Ciana starred at him in disbelief before giving him a small scoff. "Really? You, Lucifer- the son of Satan, the ruler of Hell, found it impolite to refuse to attend an event crafted to celebrate my parent's Seraph position at the presence of all the most influential beings in Heaven?" Ciana seethed, anger flashing in her eyes as she stepped closer to the demon so that the demon's attention and gaze couldn't wander anywhere but her fiery orbs. "When have you ever cared about me or my parents after I've reentered your life? How can you possibly expect me to believe that you've suddenly had a change of heart and want to sincerely throw my family your blessings and put away all your filthy hate driven thoughts away when revenge and pure hate is all that you are?!" Ciana hissed, hurt fully evident through her words and face, the pained look on her face making Lucifer's eyes reflect back the same amount of pain she painted him with. "Archangel Halos just wanted to embarrass you, Lucifer! He has a personal agenda against your father, don't you see? He wanted to lure you into the party so that you'd look like a fool here, because honestly no one here has favourable outlooks towards you or your father!" Ciana said desperately. "I told you- I warned you not to come... I begged you, Lucifer... Archangel Halos would put up anything in order to bring down your father- even at my own parent's dispose... Do you have no shame bringing so much embarrassment to me?" She asked barely above a whisper, desperation and frustration quickly taking over her left over restrain. Her beautiful golden eyes brimming with the promise of rainfall as she waited for the demon's response.

"It takes a lot more than that to embarrass someone like me, your highness. Maybe Archangel Halos should start taking notes from you since so far you're the only one who's managed to somewhat get a response out of me with your seductive skills." Lucifer said with a smirk, coming closer to the girl and biting the air between them, trying to make the girl laugh in hopes her tears wouldn't fall. But the demon immediately came to regret his choices the moment the first tear fell from the girl's eyes, the defeated angel giving him a tired look- hurt and disbelief at his inconsideration flashing in her golden eyes, her tired eyes immediately wiping off the demon's smirk. "Right, because in the end it's my parent's and my embarrassment that's spendable as long as you get something out of it." She said tiredly, pushing past the demon without looking at him as she took a seat on the water fountain sitting proudly in between them. "I can't believe I trusted you enough to listen to me... I'm so stupid..." The girl said through an air of disbelief as she closed her eyes and placed her face in her hands, unable to look at the demon again.

Silence washed over them, and not even the light chirping of nightingales could mask or lighten the heavy tension between them. "Answer me just one question honestly, and please don't try to deflect it because I'm about this close to losing all my respect for you Lucifer." The girl said quietly, only continuing on when the demon stayed silent at her words- taking it as a promise. "What's the real reason you came here?"

Lucifer slowly blinked at the angel, unsure of how to answer without causing more of a rift to open between them. "Personal intrigue." He answered, but the usual confidence he carried was long gone by now, afraid that anything he said would end up causing more distress on the confrontation between them. Ciana could only sit there in silence, letting the demon's words sink in. "Intrigue... right. Hope this whole mess you created for me was worth a laugh. I can't believe that for a second there I thought you've genuinly changed and started thinking of others instead of yourself... I was wrong for feeling differently towards you." The angel said as she turned away from him, shaking her head in disbelief. "Now that you've been entertained, please leave before my parents actually see you- unlike me, they won't be so easy on you." Ciana said in a whisper, not turning to look at the demon as disappointment filled her, the demon not needing to see her face to feel it. He felt his heart drop, he hadn't meant to make a mess for her to clean up, he honestly just wanted to show her how much she actually mattered to him by showing up to the gala for her. But it seemed that everything he tried doing for her always ended up hurting her.

"What will the guest say if I just leave? Specially when you made such a declaration about my presence?| He asked, but Ciana kept her stance, keeping her gaze on the wall in front of her instead of shifting her glance over to him. "I'll manage something." She said monotonously. Seeing as she wasn't budging as she patiently waited for the demon to get a hint and leave, Lucifer felt his last resolve leave him. This was the end- this was how she wanted to keep their relationship as.

The demon threw the girl one last look before he pulled out a small wrapped box from his pocket, placing it on the fountain next to the girl. "Tell Thiago and Parisa congratulations for me." He said quietly before heading to the doors. Ciana eyed the box silently for a moment before shutting them tightly, trying to fight back the urge to jump after the demon. _Don't Ciana... don't do it, let him walk away, nothing good will come in you letting him in once more. He's playing you, your parents will only suffer from your weakness if you allow him to stay._

But against all rationality and everything screaming within her, with a heavy sigh, the girl grabbed the gift and rushed towards the demon. "Wait... Lucifer. Stay." She said in resignation, staring at the demon's broad back as she said it. "An hour, you have one hour to prove you're here without bad intentions and to regain my trust- don't make me regret it." She said before she walked past him and back into the hall, giving the surprised demon no time to properly register the girl's sudden change of heart as he rushed after her.

Throughout the rest of the night, Lucifer couldn't help but continuously keep getting amazed by the girl's abilities in such a social setting. She was a natural, the way she smiled and looked effortlessly alluring as she made her rounds around the gala- the girl easily blending in and feeling at ease with anyone she talked to, easily inducing warmth and laughter into everyone with a single smile of hers. Lucifer couldn't help but feel completely enchanted and enthralled by the way the girl easily brought him into her conversations, by some way managing to somehow show only the good sides of the demon to the rest of the guests, sometimes to the point the angels started talking to him as one of their own despite the drastic visually differences between them. The girl had a special touch that allowed everyone she talked to momentarily forget their sides or even forget there were different sides at all- she somehow managed to make everyone feel as an equal and important no matter their status. And as he watched her laugh merrily to something a middle-aged angel was telling her, he couldn't help but feel a smile tug at his lips as he watched the bright smile that shone on her face. He was falling, too hard and too quickly for the golden girl before him. And at this point he didn't want to fight himself from his feelings anymore. He would make her his one way or another, and that was a promise.


	12. A Promise Stuck in Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello! I want to start by saying a big, big, big, thank you to everyone for their concerns and encouraging messages when I mentioned I haven't felt the most emotionally well lately. I'm a lot better now, and everyone's words have definitely lifted up my spirits and mood. I definitely took everyone's concern into consideration and took my time writing this chapter instead of rushing myself. :) On that note, the amounts of time this chapter had changed and I've scrapped complete parts off is laughable. I know there's a lot of throwbacks in this chapter, but also a lot is being revealed and hinted at in it, so I hope I don't bore you guys too much with it. I do hope you all enjoy it and that you can all start off your weekend in a positive note with it.  
> I love you all so, so, so much and will never be able to fully thank you for all the love and support you've given me.  
> -Love, Harmony.

_"Ciana, what are you looking at, honey? It's your bedtime, shouldn't you be in bed now?" The older angel asked her daughter, coming up behind her and placing her hands over the young angel's shoulders affectionately as she looked out through the small window of their living room at the starlit navy blue sky- the younger angel standing on the worn out loveseat in front of it to get a better view. For a second the younger angel kept silent as she continued glancing outside in silence. "Just... just thinking." She mumbled quietly. The older angel gave a soft chuckle as she followed her daughter's gaze up towards the clear night sky. "Just thinking? You need to be more specific than that, Ciana. My powers don't involve mind reading after all." The little angle blinked a few times at the sky as she turned to look at her mom, curiosity on her young face- the gold speckles in her eyes sparkling from the moonlight reflecting off of them, her eyes locking onto her mom's warm brown ones. "I remember the story you taught me of day and night, how the sun comes out for day and the moon comes out for the night." The little angle started._

_"Mhm, go on." Her mother encouraged her, kneeling down so she was now eye level with her daughter, brushing her soft brown locks behind her as she waited for her daughter's question. She'd always been an inquisitive girl, always wondering and asking questions about the world around them, questions that were always beyond that of any other kid her age would even come to think of. But it was a good quality to have, seeing how bright she was at such a young age, so her parents always encouraged her to ask questions, the girl knowing they would always give her the most appropriate answer to them._

_"I was wondering... You know how we see the sun and moon on Heaven? Do humans see them on Earth as well?" She asked curiously, to which the older angel simply gave a small good nature laugh at. "Yes, Ciana. They can see the day and night just like us- Just like human parents can see when their kids are stalling in order to not go to bed." Parisa said amused as she gave a small boop onto the girl's nose, causing her to giggle gleefuly at the affection. "Come on, let's get you to bed now. You can still ask questions, just not out in the living room alright?" Her mother asked, standing up and extending out a hand to the little girl to grab onto. Nodding happily, the girl pushed herself off the worn out leather and grabbed onto her mom's hand, the older angel leading her back into her small room and closing the open window behind them- securing the rusted latch on. Ciana crawled into her bed as her mother started tucking her in- the golden night light next to her glowing warmly against her._

_"How about Hell? Do they see sun and moon over there as well?" Ciana inquired as her mom took a seat on the edge of her small bed- the bed sheets having been worn off their bright colours after being used repetitively the last couple of decades. Parisa shook her head. "They don't. They only have one big orb illuminating the place, but it never goes up or down like the ones we have. It keeps the place seeming stagnant and never changing, where time and space becomes irrelevant." Her mother explained to her as she pulled the blankets and placed them carefully over the young angel. "You've seen it when we went to visit Lucifer, right?" Her mother asked, the little girl becoming more happy at the sound of her best friend's name. "Yes! I remember Luci looking confused when I asked him about daytime and nighttime the first time we visited them." The girl giggled at the memory of bewilderment of the demon as she tried explaining to him what celestial bodies were. Her mom shook her head fondly at her daughter's smile._

_"I'm glad you two ended up becoming best friends, his mom and I were afraid you wouldn't get along when we first introduced you two. It would have made our dream of becoming mother best friends impossible if you two had kept hating on each other." Ciana giggled as her mom tickled her. "I could never hate Luci, mom! He was just a bit different from all the other angel friends I have..." The girl said defensively, tucking herself back into the covers. "I know." Her mother said lovingly, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. "Now, you get one more question and then it's time for nappy, alright? I don't want your father to come back and be disappointed in seeing you still awake, alright? You know how hard he works for us..." Her mother said softly as she got up and started picking up discarded clothing items off the floor. Not that there were many to begin with, they only had a few handful of materials at their disposal after all._

_The little girl pondered her last question for a bit as she watched her mom carefully fold one of the nicer clothing items. "How about this one... Why is every story you and dad tell me about the sun? I don't ever read anything about the moon... I thought both were important and that one couldn't exist without the other, so why does everyone always talk about the sun and not the moon? The sun even gets to stay in the sky for longer time than the moon... Isn't that unfair?" The white-winged angel asked in a pout as she played with one of the worn out teddy bears on her bed._

_Silence filled the room after her words, and noticing her mom wasn't answering, the girl sat up on her bed and looked around for her mom- about to repeat her question thinking that she probably didn't hear her the first time. But instead she was met with alarmed eyes as her mother stared at her in fright. Scared by her mom's response, the girl slowly dropped her teddy and reached out to her mom hesitantly. "Mom...?" She asked in a quiet voice._

_Seemingly to have snapped out of whatever trance she was in, Parisa quickly dropped the clothing in her hands and went to her daughter, holding her little frightened face in her hands. "Listen to me, Ciana... The sun is happiness, brightness, warmth... and it's the symbol of the angels. That's why we see so much of it, because it represents us and our happiness, right? The stories your father and I tell you are to make you happy, children shouldn't be told sad stories when they go to bed, right?" Her mother asked, trying to hide the worry in her voice as she brushed her thumbs over the girl's cheeks. Unsure of what to think, the little angel slowly nodded, frightened by how serious her mother suddenly was. She'd never been discouraged of asking a question, and it was her first time seeing her mom so jittery._

_"Ciana... Do you remember what your father and I always tell you? Can you say it to me, please?" Her mother asked._

_"You're a light, Ciana... don't let the darkness dim your shine... You're brightness, chase the darkness away, don't let it consume you." The little angel recited from memory, the saying having been engraved in her memory from the many times her parents had said it to her before. Parisa nodded in approval. "Yes, Ciana... You're a light. You're like the sun. You're the sun to us, don't forget that. Don't get sucked into the darkness that the moon and night bring... Remember to always be bright, think brightly... You're brightness... Not darkness."_

* * *

"It as nice seeing you again, Yes, I'll pass on your message to my parents. Thank you for coming." Ciana bid goodbye politely to the last of the guests as they filtered out of the grand glass doors and into the dimply lit pathway leading outside the castle walls. Where the moonlight guided their way out the castle grounds and into the clouds that made up Heaven. Watching their retrieving backs carefully until she was sure they were out of sight, the girl finally crumbled to the ground from exhaustion, sitting on the front porch steps of her home as the clattering of silverware being picked up for cleaning echoed behind her. Sighing in defeat and finally letting her fake smile slide off her face, the angel took off her heels and threw them unceremoniously to the side as she started massaging her sore feet. She was completely drained and exhausted from the long night of socializing she'd done, she'd gotten so used to her new life at the academy that she'd forgotten how long and tiresome these galas could be. She'd known and had been aware that time at the academy meant that the aging process would accelerate, but she was sure that a few months away shouldn't make her feel as if she'd aged a few decades instead.

"Miss, looks like you could use another pick me up at the moment." A deep dark voice called from behind her. Ciana didn't even bother turning back around to see who it was- the girl having familiarized herself with the demon's restrained and dark energy after having had it surround and accompany her throughout the entirely of the night. Being surrounded by the demon's energy for such elongated period was enough for his energy to be permanently engraved in her memory- specially when that energy was as intoxicating to her as its owner was. Having been at such close proximity to Lucifer during the gala had made it hard for her to keep her gaze and attention on the guests instead of the demon that had slowly taken over her mind and heart the last couple of weeks, and there were moments she feared others had taken notice of her gaze as well. Because somehow around Lucifer, it became hard for her to adhere to her perfect persona, because unfortunately for her, the demon brought out her real feelings and hidden imperfections that she'd always been told to hide and had an easy time concealing... Until the demon decided to defy it all.

Before she even had time to turn and glance at the demon, a glass filled with fizzing blue liquid materialized in her line of vision- the drink seemingly glowing against the light shining out onto the porch through the open ballroom doors. Looking at her over the rim of the crystal glass, the demon glanced at her with an amused and knowing look- the lights from the chandeliers from inside the ballroom reflecting against his face, the reds of his eyes looking deeper and more mesmerizing in the light than they already were naturally. Causing the girl's heart to skip a bit at the way they focused on her. "Your choice of poison, your highness. With extra sugar on the rim like you prefer." Lucifer said, giving her an over the top bow before her. Shaking her head and giving out what seems to have been the first real laugh of the night, the girl looked over at the demon in amusement. As much as she didn't want to admit it, the demon seemed to have a certain power over her. Somehow understanding her with just a simple glance into her eyes almost as if he could read her mind. At times it felt as if they'd never stopped being best friends from the start, and that they'd grown up next to each other the whole while, specially with how easily he seemed to be able to make her smile with the stupidest of glances... And by smile she meant a real one, not one she faked to please others around her. For some reason having Lucifer doing the rounds at her side during the gala that night made the rest of the night easier to handle than normal. A task she thought impossible from having attended so many before, where she'd tried everything at her disposal to make it seem less mundane to no avail. Truthfully she was thankful she hadn't kicked him out for good, or that he'd decided to leave on his own after getting such a cold reception from her. Having him with her had given her somewhat of a lifeline to her, but that wasn't something she would admit to the egotistical demon anytime soon- specially when not so long ago she had wanted nothing to do with him, and admitting would only further bloat his ego.

Gratefully, the girl took the glass from the demon's outstretched hand. "You know, it's starting to scare me how well you seem to understand me lately. You even figured out I wanted another Glyft before I even thought of it myself." She said jokingly as she thankfully took the cold glass out of his hands, causing the demon to chuckle at the eagerness in the girl's eyes for the blue drink. "Pretty hard to not figure something like that out, one would need to be a complete moron to not have taken notice of how you couldn't go around for more than five minutes without one in your hands. You've been chugging those down as if there was no tomorrow, your highness. Makes me wonder just how your tolerance must be to not be completely wasted by now." Ciana narrowed her eyes at the demon, carefully looking into the content of her liquid trying to detect anything out of ordinary with her drink. "Either you want me to completely drunk or you're insulting me." She said through slitted eyes, gaining a deep chuckle from the demon as he shook his head, taking the girl's drink back. "Well, seeing as my drink has insulted you, I guess I'll just have to take it back." The demon said as he started tilting the drink back, only to have it ripped out of his hands once more, the girl angrily eyeing him as she took back her beloved drink.

"Don't bring me anything if you're only going to take it back." Ciana mumbled, earning a small smirk from the demon which she easily ignored. Silently, the girl swirled the content in the glass before taking a sip of the fizzing drink, and even with the extra sugary rim, it was still not doing enough to hide the bitter taste of the potent alcohol. Scrunching her face a bit at the bitter taste of the drink, the girl gave a little jolt as if being electrocuted as her face crumbled in a way that made her resemble a child taking its first taste of sour food. Lucifer silently watching in amusement at the little quirk he'd taken notice the girl do whenever she took her first sip of a fresh glass of Glyft. He wondered if anyone's taken notice of it before him, or if it was because he'd been unable of keeping his eyes off the girl throughout the night that he'd managed to take note on it. Taking a seat on the front porch steps next to the girl, the two stared off silently at the dark pathway leading out of the castle as the moonlight lazily shone over them.

Ciana had walked along those same steps in front of them thousands of times before, and the building they resided in currently was supposed to be her safe haven- her home sweet home. But truthfully, the girl never felt as if the castle was her home. She'd never got accustomed to the grand rooms, nor the marble flooring that clicked and clattered, exposed anything that walked on it. Or the extravagant golden features carved all around them, and specially not all the help that surrounded them to bid any of their requests without question. How was she supposed to feel at home when angels held with high statuses constantly filtered in and out of her doors, sometimes unannounced to report something to her parents? No, a home was supposed to feel secure and be a place where you felt free. Even after having walked down the hallways on a daily basis for the last couple of centuries it never dawned on her that it was her home, not the way anyone described a home feeling like anyways. There was no warmth, no memories made with laughter that would reside in someone's soul for eternity... instead everything was too pristine and perfect- and life wasn't supposed to be that way. Everything just felt too grand and fake for some reason, and she never truly felt as if she belonged amongst its walls. But funnily enough, coming back for the first time in months accompanied by none other than Satan's son, ironically the last person that should be in such a pure place somehow made the place more homey than it even did before for her. Maybe it had to do with how comfortable she felt around Lucifer instead, or how little he expected from her compared to everyone else, but his presence just somehow made coming back tolerable. She'd watched endless number of angels come and go along the road leading out of her home many times, and almost every time she'd hoped and envisioned to be able to walk out on it as well, hoping for freedom beyond these castle walls. But now... now she felt comfortable and warm as she sat next to the demon at her home porch.

"For someone who's back home you don't seem particularly happy, princess." Lucifer said, breaking the silence between them, leaning on one arm as he laid onto his back, looked up at the angel next to him as the clinking of silverware behind them continued drawing into the night. The girl gave a small scoff as she brushed off a crease on her skirt as her somber thoughts started dispersing along with the wind. "You didn't seem particularly happy when we were at your house either, prince." The girl mocked him, sending him a playful smile as she mimicked his usual taunts. The demon clicked his tongue in approval, amused by the girl's sudden feistiness. "Touche... I might need to get you drunk more often, princess. Seems it makes it less of a chore to hang around you then." He said, to which the girl simply laughed back at. "In your wildest dreams, Lucifer. Only times you'll see me surrounded by this much alcohol would be at these types of galas, and hate to break it to you, but seems this would be the last one you'll be attending." The girl said as she raised her drink at him in a toast before taking another gulp of the blue liquid. Lucifer's easygoing smile fell off his face at the girl's words. "What makes you so sure it'll be my last time attending one? Didn't I leave a good enough impression to be invited over at least once more?" He asked, sitting up straighter to catch the girl's response. "I really thought I impressed you with my performance today." He said, his tone more vulnerable and earnest than she'd heard from him before- and if she was hearing correctly, she thought she could hear a tinge of hurt in his voice at his efforts being ignored. Could it be possible he truly wanted her approval from his attendance? That concept was completely to the angel, and she wouldn't have even thought of it being a possibility if it weren't for the fact she'd seen for herself how much the demon restrained himself at the gala for her.

Silently placing down the now empty glass on the stone ground next to her- the glass clinking against the concrete floor, the girl looked down at the demon, tilting her head to the side as she searched his eyes. "No... You did a very good job, Lucifer." She assured him softly, her soft eyes illuminating the demon's own as they got lost into each other's eyes. "You did very well... and I'm thankful for how you handled the whole thing. Honestly I'm quite surprised at how composed you were around everyone, even from the start when you first entered the gala." Ciana said softly, studying in silent wonder at the way the demon's gaze softly traced her lips, creating butterflies within her stomach at the way his simply look made her feel. "I just... don't see why you'd attend another one, even I would do anything to stay away from them. And truthfully I'm still not sure why you attended this one in the first place." She whispered gently, and subconsciously, without noticing, her hand reached out to brush away a stray hair from the demon's face- the two looking at each other in silent wonder as they started leaning closer to each other.

Her gaze lingering on the demon's face, the girl continued in a hushed voice. "It's not that I wouldn't invite you to another gala... truthfully, I really enjoyed your company..." The girl broke off, unable to continue her sentence as her heartbeat started skipping in a rhythm foreign to her- her breath hitching in her throat at the way the demon's red and sensual eyes momentarily flickered to her eyes before landing on her lips. And for a second both their gazes fixated on each other's lips. _What would kissing a demon be like? What would kissing Lucifer be like?_ Ciana caught herself wondering as she looked at the full lips of the demon in front of her, his own eyes tracing the outline of her cherry red ones...

Suddenly the door behind them swung open, and a hurried voice called out to her, causing the two to jump away from each other. Only then did the two suddenly realize how close to each other they were- their gazes fixated on each other. Lowering her extended hand in a hurry the girl blinked a few times to rid herself from her indecent thoughts just as a maid hurriedly came in front of them. "Miss, your parents are asking for you. They want to talk to you regarding your-" The girl paused for a second as she threw a frightened look at the demon glancing up at her, before quickly shaking herself and focusing on relaying her message. "-your unannounced guest. Once they're done talking to Seraph Luciel and his wife, they want to immediately talk to you." She finished in a hurry, trying to distance herself from the demon as soon as possible. Ciana stiffened at her parent's request but nodded at her maid, releasing her from further confined torture at being in Lucifer's presence.

Ciana should have felt thankful for the interruption, for keeping her sane enough to keep herself away from the demon's magnetizing energy and disallowing them from having crossed the invisible line between them. Because nothing could or should come out of them crossing that line... Too many rules were already broken, she couldn't allow for it to manifest into anything graver than it already was. And the last thing they needed was to have crossed it in plain sight of someone else. But she couldn't ignore the disappointment that sprung in her chest at not having had the chance to find out what the possibility of kissing the demon was like.

Lucifer threw the angel a side glance as an awkward silence fell on them as they watched the maid scurry back through the doors. The comfortable atmosphere completely gone now as the severity of Lucifer's attendance finally caught up to them, hanging over them and making it impossible to go back to the easy going flow they had before. He was going to offer the girl a snarky comment or offer her to stay with her and explain to her parents that it wasn't her idea for him to be there. But with the look on her face, he could tell that would only make matters worst. Her parents had done everything in their power to keep him away from their daughter for all those centuries after all. And he was sure that facing them would only put the angel in a worst position.

"Well, I guess I'll take that as my cue to leave... It was nice seeing your lavish new place, princess. Personally I found the gold trimming a bit too much, but guess that's your parent's taste." Lucifer said, the demon getting up and brushing himself off as he took a few steps forward into the pathway before spreading open the rich mahogany wings on his broad back, a gust of wind sending the girl's hair flying back from the flap of his powerful wings. The demon stopped for a moment, looking back at the angel once more, considering his next words carefully. "Thanks for letting me see your world for a while, princess... It felt nice being part of it... And I guess I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble."

Ciana felt her heart drop at the demon's words, her mind slowly processing what was going on. "You're leaving?" She asked in a hurry, quickly getting up after the demon, walking onto the pavement barefoot as she forgot she'd left her heels on the front door steps earlier. Her dress that had been tailored to fit perfectly to the girl's adjusted height with her heels now dragging against the ground. The demon turned to her, quirking an eyebrow in confusion at the girl's question. "Yes... I think I've tainted this place too much with my presence already." He said, casting a quick smirk over at the girl who was now a good 3 inches shorter now without her heels. He found it adorable, seeing how little and defenseless she looked without those few extra inches she usually carried, specially with the doe eyes she was giving him at the moment. "I'll see you back at school, princess." Nodding to her once more, the demon flung open his wings, flapping them once to get them warmed up. And just when he was about to jump off the ground, a small hang tightly held onto his forearm, preventing him from taking off. Confused, he turned around and looked over at a hesitant looking angel.

"Stay... Just stay the night." Ciana whispered softly. The demon stared at the girl quietly for a second- a silence falling onto them as the demon let the girl's words sink in, the chirping of the nightingales around them filling in the silence that engulfed them. And for a second, the girl's eyes widened at the words that blurted out of her mouth.

"My, your highness. That's something you ask after the second date at least." The demon said jokingly, trying to seem unfazed by the girl's sudden request while in reality just like the girl was, he was pretty taken aback by it. "Besides, you said it yourself your parents won't like me being around you any longer that we already have." The demon said, gently taking the girl's hand off of him, the skin where her small hand had been now feeling cold after being stripped from the girl's warmth.

"I... my parents knew you at one point, Lucifer... I'm sure they'll at least be hospitable enough to let you stay one night." She said surely, trying to reassure herself or make herself somewhat believe in what she'd just said, but Lucifer knew that deep down, the girl herself was doubting the chances of that happening. "The academy is far from here... there's a lot of waterfalls and cliffs around here, I'm afraid you'll get lost on your own in the dark... let's get back together tomorrow morning. I'll feel less guilty if you stayed somewhere comfortable for the night." She mumbled in a hurry, trying to come up with a plausible excuse to make the demon stay. He could see the conflict in the girl's eyes, part of her knowing that it would be best for Lucifer to leave, but other part of her being as curious as him on what their relationship was becoming, just needing extra time to figure out what was happening between them. And instead of declining her invitation like he knew he ought to- he accepted. Because part of him felt that the girl was reaching out to him as well, that between them she had started feeling something for him as well. And maybe spending this one night at her place, where they were away from any interruptions or outside factors they could try figuring out what was happening between them.

"Alright." Was all he said, and he immediately saw the look of relief wash through the girl's golden orbs at his word. "Alright... good.... Yeah, I'll go get Celine to get a room ready for you." She said, slightly nervous as she let go of the demon after finally noticing they were still holding each other. Walking up the front steps, the girl quickly picked up her heels and empty glass before leading the demon back into the ballroom and further into the house, ignoring the staff's curious glances being thrown at them as they momentarily paused their cleaning. The girl always seemed disoriented and seemingly clumsy and less put together when around the demon, because somehow Lucifer made her loose all the structured rules in her life. But it was something that was unseen by the staff members, and seeing Ciana all frazzled up and unpolished just made the whole spectacle that much more intriguing to come across.

Lucifer watched the girl quickly inform her maid of Lucifer's stay in a hushed tone, letting her know to get him a room ready without alerting her parents about it yet. Lucifer could see the way the maid's eyes widened in shock at the girl's preposition as she threw the demon a quick side eye before hesitantly nodding to the young royal and heading off to do as instructed to do. Ciana returned to Lucifer's side, awkwardly gesturing for him to follow after her- her shoes still held in her hands as she led the demon down the halls towards the living quarters barefoot. "Your parents must truly hate me for your maid to look at me as if I were death itself." The demon joked, trying to diffuse the tension between the two. Ciana gave him a weary smile. "They don't hate you, Lucifer. They never mentioned you in a bad light. I just... don't think they approve of me being around you is all... Not after they've become Seraphs anyways..." She finished off softly, the girl's sad melodic voice bouncing off the pristine white walls around them. "Because I'm a demon? Or because I'm Satan's son?" Lucifer asked as he fell in step next to the girl. Ciana simply shrugged as she threw hesitant glances around them, the worry of running into her parents and alerting them of her undisclosed invitation towards the demon before she could come up with a plausible enough explanation eating at her. "A mix of both, I'd pressume." She said in a hushed tone as they passed by an open room filled with encased weapons and artifacts on display. Somewhat intrigued by the collection, the demon threw a glance around the display cases as they walked by them. A few of them he recognized as having been used from the last few wars, as well as some being brought from ancient human days. They were about to pass the room towards the sleeping quarters when his eyes suddenly landed on a familiar ruby encrusted dagger- causing the demon to immediately stop in his tracks, his jaw falling open in shock and awe at the weapon looking back at him.

"This... what is this doing here?" He asked bewildered, a deep frown taking over his face as he got closer to the case, his eyes tracing the familiar weapon being held captive within the glass casing. Noticing the demon wasn't behind her anymore, the girl quickly turned around to find the demon looking over a display case. Throwing another cautious glance around her to make sure the coast was clear, the girl walked towards the demon, her gaze falling from the demon's shocked face to the dagger sitting prettily over a golden satin base. "This? I guess my parents just thought it was an important part of angel history... Or it must be some valuable piece that was given to us. Everything here was gifted to us by other angels or associates." She said as she eyed the bladed metal before her with a shrug, never having really paid much attention to it before the demon had shown interest in it. It was pretty, just like all the other artifacts in the room, but she'd never taken too much care towards them. Lucifer scoffed in disbelief. "Right... no. This was my mom's blade." He said, disgust filtering through his words, the demon never taking his eyes off of the artifact, bitterness seeping into his words. Ciana froze for a second before tearing her eyes away from the blade and onto the demon's hardened face, silently studying his expression. "Your... your mother's?" But before any of them could continue on the matter, Celine came back, quietly clearing her throat as she hurriedly threw a glance behind her.

"Miss, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I've been informed that your parents have just finished bidding their farewells to their special guests and are ready to head back upstairs... The room you asked for is ready, so if you would please..." She said, bowing before Ciana. The girl quickly dispersed herself from any other thoughts and nodded at her. "Thank you, please lead him to his room as I go distract my parents." She said, pushing the demon towards her maid in a hurry just as she started feeling her parent's energies coming up the stairs. Suddenly remembering something, the girl quickly went back up to the demon, grabbing onto his arm and turning him to her in a hurry. And before he could say anything, she closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his- turning off his energy just as she'd done the first time they'd found themselves hiding away in the tower. When she reopened her eyes, the demon's piercing red ones were looking back at hers, understanding what she'd done without speaking aloud.

Clearing her throat once more, but in a more awkward manner as she didn't expect such a display to occur before her, Celine called for the demon to follow after her. The maid trying to keep a composed posture as she lead the demon down the hall, having to keep reminding herself that he wouldn't hurt her as he was her lady's friend... Or was he more considering how close the two seemed to be with each other? Panic rose even higher in her at the prospect of finding out Ciana was romantically involved with a demon... Oh Shepha... How was she supposed to keep this all a secret from her parents? The maid had been so thrown off by the closeness of the two that she didn't even notice the fact she couldn't detect the demon's energy anymore.

Ciana watched them walk down until they dissipated around the corner just as a hand appeared on her shoulder, her parent's energy right behind her.

* * *

Lucifer sat pensively at the edge of the grand and heavily cushioned bed in the guest bedroom, starring out the window into the quiet night sky of Heaven- the calm atmosphere completely polar opposite to the silent rage that was building within him as he tried wrapping him mind on what he'd just come across earlier. What was his mother's dagger doing in the angel's home in some display case? He was completely certain that it was his mother's, he remembered precisely the obsidian black hilt engraved with ruby crystals that his mother always carried with her wherever she went. He always thought it was a lucky charm of hers, or held some kind of sentimental value as she never went anywhere without it. He didn't really ever question or ask his mom why she had it with her at all times, but now he wished he'd taken the chance to ask her back then. After she'd passed away he'd never thought much of the blade, the item being the last of his worries at the moment. But he never expected it to have ended up in Heaven of all placed... in a Seraph's home least of all. Something wasn't adding up, as did anything that involved the hazel golden eyed angel. But now seeing what had belonged to his mom at one point sitting as if it were some artifact for the great and pretentious angels to gawk at as if some art piece or some trophy simply boiled his blood. What gave them the right to take what they thought fit for their entertainment without asking permission for the possession? He hated it how angels always took whatever they wanted and claimed it for themselves. He wasn't sure how it'd ended up there in the first place, but one thing was certain- it wasn't theirs to keep, if anyone had the right to it, it would be him, her son. Not some overly decorated angel who was given a tittle but without actual power.

Suddenly the young demon remembered his father's parting words from the last time they've seen each other, and he released a huff of disbelief.

_He was just about to leave the library down in Hell after Ciana when he'd been summoned to meet up with his father. He didn't think much of it at first, being called by his father having become a normal occurrence lately. But the sympathetic look he received from Winchesto as he watched him enter the dark chamber doors and down the red carpet towards his father's throne should have warned him of how different this meeting would be. "What's going on here? Is Winchesto becoming part of the punishing committee now?" He asked jokingly, but his father simply smirked at him, the creases at his eyes multiplying as he looked down at his son in amusement._

_"No, just came across a very interesting piece of information that Winchesto helped me verify first..." His father said as he laid back on his throne made of skulls and human remains, watching his son through dark judgmental eyes- eyes that showed little compared to the dark thoughts in his mind. Winchesto threw Lucifer an apologetic glance as he stayed silent at Satan's side. Lucifer kept silent, knowing that the older demon had no choice but follow after his father's bidding. "I've been hearing these audacious rumours about my son being invited to some angel gala... I didn't dare believe them at first, why would my own offspring possibly want to get close and associate himself with those filthy angels, I asked myself? Unfortunately I've soon come to realize that it might not be baseless after all... I've come to find that you've gotten yourself a little crush on that stupid angel of yours after all..." The older demon's lip twitched slightly at the repulsive thought. "I'm sure you thought I wouldn't have found out about it. But you're forgetting I have eyes everywhere, my son."_

_Satan threw a crooked smirk at his son, noticing the little vein popping on the side of his neck at the mention of the angel. He was right, she was his weakness. "How'd you get that, I wonder... Was it your little toy that handed it to you? I thought I've made it clear to her to stay away from you the last time, or was it not enough?" He inquired darkly, leaning forward on his throne to get a better look at his son's expression. Lucifer felt his eyes narrow at the way his father belittled the princess, but other than that physically didn't show any other sign of weakness. "Don't bring her into this, she's got nothing to do with the invitation." He said carefully through his teeth, the red in his eyes flickering dangerously. But Satan simply chuckled at his son's attempt at showing dominance. "She might not have given it to you personally... But am I wrong in assuming you're planning on showing up to it anyways?"_

_"Are you planning on stopping me, old man? Since when were you so concerned with your son's affairs?" Lucifer asked as he folded his arms over his chest, threatening his father. Satan stared at his son in silence for a minute before bursting in a cackle- his deep voice rumbling against the cave like walls. "Seems we really don't know each other well... son." Satan said, adding emphasis on the last word. And the word only brought a deep disgust to Lucifer, knowing his father never acknowledged him as his blood unless he wanted something from him. "I'm not going to stop you- you're free to do as you please. I never expected you to take over my position or to amount to anything with your stupid weakness... No, I summoned you to give you a fair warning as your loving father." The demon stood up from his seat, and with a powerful aura that threatened anyone who came near him, he descended until he stood face to face with Lucifer- looking into the blood red eyes that resembled his mom's more than his own. "Soon the angel will come to trust in you... and that's when she'll be at her weakest, letting you in into her personal home, bearing to you all her secrets and home to you... That's when you'll come to realize how robbed by her family we've been... You'll see them as the dirty liars and robbers they truly are, and all these stupid feelings you're harboring towards the stupid angel will bite you back- completely destroy you. I'm warning you in advance... You should execute your revenge, my son. Prove to both you and me that you're capable of taking back what's ours- show them who they messed with all those centuries ago... who they're messing with now. Show them the power of a demon." Satan said with a deep amused cackle, imagining the moment his son would come face to face with the two-sided backstabbing family he was once more getting close to. "She's not that innocent... She's got a dark history that you're just not aware of, and I can't wait to see the day you get destroyed by her."_

Had his father known about the dagger they were keeping in their house? Had his father foreseen him coming across it after the angel let him stay in her home? Was there more to the history between their families than they were being led on? His father seemed to be indicating in that sense. Just what else could her family be hiding from him? What dark history was he hinting at the angel having? He'd known her his whole life, surely he wouldn't have ignored such darkness from her from the start, right? But a nagging feeling was eating at him at the multiple times he'd felt her energy being off, being much darker than it should have been. As much as he disliked the way his father could so easily read into his feelings and thoughts, he had to give him credit. He wasn't the king of Hell for nothing, he knew everything that was going around him and he knew how to use that knowledge to his advantage- bringing them out when he knew it would hurt the most.

The demon felt himself getting jittery and more agitated as time dragged on as he sat in solitary in the pitch darkness of the room- letting him fester into the dark and anger filled thoughts that flitted in this head. He didn't even bother turning the light on, knowing perfectly well how much further he'd be repulsed by the blinding brightness of the room filled with luxurious golds and crystal lighting just like he was with the rest of the castle. Unable to keep sitting down any longer, the demon sprung to his feet in aggravation as he lost the last of his restrains. What was keeping him from taking what was his back? What was stopping him from slamming through the doors of the stupidly overly extravagant room he was in and march down the hallways filled with pretentious arts and statues and towards the glass case holding his mother's blade captive? To break the casing it was in, and taking back what was rightfully his? Or better, what was stopping him from going straight up to the angels that were the base of his hatred right now? The ones who he was infiltrating their home currently without their knowledge?

One thing. One person was standing in the way. A certain angel with the most endearing hazel golden-eyed that had bestowed him with her gaze was the sole reason why his hand stayed rooted, unable to turn the knob of the door separating him and the chance to exude revenge on the pair that had ripped him away from his best friend- away from the ones that had made him the hateful demon he was today. Ciana was the reason why the demon was second guessing and hesitating on his impulse of marching down the halls like he felt urged to do, urging him on causing havoc and creating unaccountable amounts of destruction in the stupid palace belonging to the people he hated the most like the demonic entity he was... He hesitated because it was that golden-eyed angel's home that this place belonged to, and he couldn't bring himself to destroy her livelihood, specially as he consciously was aware of how much the angel had endured personally to keep up to her parent's expectations.

It was her parents and the side she stood on that he resented, not her. She'd also been lied and kept in the dark from her past, ripped from her childhood just like he'd been. The two of them were on the same boat, betrayed and hurt by the ones everyone could see no fault in simply because of their title. The two might be different in many aspects of their lives, but truth was, in the end they were both hurt from the lies and secrets being kept from them all the same. As different as they grew up being, they both were two individuals who everyone thought highly of simply for their parents, but in truth were both putting on a facade as they were lost in the world handed to them that they wanted no part of. And the only others that understood what they felt and were going through were each other.

The only one he truly was coming to trust was her, and he couldn't destroy the trust that was slowly becoming theirs. Because only now was she starting to open up to him again, letting him back in after the endless hardship the two of them endured to get them to this point. It was evident in the way she burdened herself with her parent's possible wrath by letting him stay in her home tonight. Was he willing to sacrifice her trust for his own wants? Their relationship had been turbulent up until this point, involving reopening of wounds and head to head arguments with each other. But in the end no one understood them like they did. It was a messed up relationship, but it was theirs.

Before he had time to decide on his action, a foreign energy approached his room. "Excuse me, Mr. Lucifer-" A knock appeared on the other side of the door, breaking the demon from his thoughts. "Miss Ciana asks for your company, if you'll follow me please." Confused for a second as to the girl's request, he hesitated for a second before opening the door. Wordlessly, the maid who Lucifer remembered from earlier led him through another corridor, leading him further and further away from the dagger and his temptations.

* * *

_Ciana had just reached the throne room her parents resided in as they waited for her appearance, ready to step in and confront them when she stopped in her tracks as worried whispers reached her ears._

_"This was all a mistake, Thiago. I'm sure there's an explanation as to why he showed up here. We know Ciana, there's no way she would have invited him personally. She'd never gone against anything we've said." Parisa said, trying to calm down her husband as she followed him across the room._

_Shaking his head, he let out a frustrated laugh. "No, Parisa, our biggest mistake was sending her back to the academy. We both knew that the chances of her connecting to the wrong side would be high there. We should've never allowed her to step back into that place... There was too much at stake with her getting mixed with demons... We should've never allowed for the chances for her to meet with Lucifer again to happen." Thiago hissed in a whisper as he walked around in frustration in the throne room- the two Seraphs unknowingly being listened on by their daughter as she stood silently outside the door to the room, her back pressed against the wall as she glanced at the marble floor under her as her parents voices filtered through the slightly opened door. She'd forgotten that she'd turned off her energy as well as she'd done it for Lucifer earlier, not giving her parents the slightest clue that she was listening in._

_"We didn't have a choice, Thiago! You know what Lucian said, that there was no safer place for her than at the academy... That being constantly watched and under the pressure to choose the angelic side in the presence of other watchful eyes would keep her in line. Fenccio promised us he would take special care for her, that he wouldn't allow her to stray from the angelic side." Parisa retaliated. "We had no choice, Thiago... Keeping her here would have evidently only let her dark side pick up and accelerate and fester faster... You've seen the darkness that she showed that time she had training with Lucian."_

_Thiago gave a bitter laugh. "How can I forget? She nearly killed him, Parisa! It was a miracle that she missed his heart or else there would have been no saving him... We barely managed to conceal her real powers with her weaker ones... We tried everything, but it seems no matter what we do and how hard we try to persuade her to the light side, her dark one will eventually win out. That prophesy is almost ready to be fulfilled, Parisa... There's been mentions of Malbonte being reborn amongst the higher ups... It's only a matter of time before Ciana finds out about herself, before Malbonte somehow comes back, and before the prophesy gets fulfilled." The male Seraph said in a strained voice- a heavy silence falling onto the two Seraphs as they let his words sink in._

_"That won't happen, Thiago... Ciana still doesn't realize that she's connected to this, and she still hasn't found the other half. Besides... Bont is safe in the tower, no one can break in and Ciana has no clue about him or his other half." The female angel tried to reassure her husband, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder as they both glanced at the family portrait hanging above the thrones. "We managed to alter her past- to alter her predetermined path for at least the first part of her life...I'm sure we can do the same for her future if we have to." The female angel said as she gingerly pressed a soft kiss to her husband's cheek in an attempt at calming him down._

_Barely above a whisper, the male angel spoke. "What are we going to do, Parisa? It hurt her being separated from Lucifer the first time... It took her so long to finally move on from him... Now that he's back in her life, now that they found each other again... What are we supposed to do? I don't have the heart to see her break down again... Because of us." The male angel was unable to finish, his heart in his throat at the heart-wrenching memory of his young girl crying nonstop for her best friend._

_Their parting from the demon's family had never been easy, everyone had been so heavily connected with each other that severing ties had just been as painful on them as it had been on the younger two. They just never were allowed to show weakness when everything relied on their hold on Ciana. Parisa stayed quiet for a second as memories of her best friend's death flashing before her eyes, her last words to her echoing in her mind. Taking a deep breath, Parisa turned to her husband and held both his hands with her own, determination flashing in her eyes. "Then we do as Cassandra instructed us to do... To keep them away from each other and keep Lucifer from jogging her memory- to keep him from reminding Ciana of Cassandra and who she was before her new life."_

It was past midnight and nearing the first lights of dawn. The moon was hanging lazily over the night sky, bathing and illuminating the round and fluffy clouds under in in a breathtaking mixture of silver and white light. The stars around it scattered randomly and abstractly, yet beautifully painting the night sky in an ethereal kaleidoscope of twinkling light against the clear black backdrop of the night. The scattering of the stars amongst the cosmos resembling that of dandelion fluff floating endlessly through the clear summer skies or the endless fluttering of snow on a cold winter day- all drastically different yet beautiful to look at, but unlike the later two, the stars would twinkle endlessly night after night without fail in the broad open skies in Heaven. The view was an every night experience in the realm of the angels, yet Ciana could never stop feeling fascinated by the celestial bodies shining so brightly and endlessly over them from such a far distance away. How could something shine so brightly to illuminate the otherwise pitch black world around them?

But tonight of all nights, when she needed that brightness in her life the most, it failed in reaching her heart. The darkness that was clouding her heart and mind at her parent's revelation was too heavy for even the moonlight to wash over. What had her parents been talking about? What had they meant by her being connected to the prophesy...what prophesy? To Malbonte? But specially, what did they mean about Lucifer having the power to bring out memories from her...? Of his mother? No matter how much she thought over it, nothing made sense to her. The only part she kind of could adhere to were the darker powers they mentioned. So she was right, there were darker powers festering within her, powers that they tried to stop from forming and coming out of her. Powers they didn't want because apparently she'd almost killed someone with them. Shivering at the terrible thought, the girl wrapped herself tightly. No, it couldn't have been right... She'd surely remember something like that. Maybe her parents recalled wrong on that, or maybe there was another Ciana she didn't know about?

"You're not dead." Lucifer's amused voice called out to her, breaking her away from her pensive thoughts as she looked away from the parted clouds next to her. She gave him a small weary smile as the last reminiscent of her thoughts lingered. "Whole and ready to tell the tale." She answered back, bringing up a small chuckle from the demon as he approached her. "I thought you wanted me to sleep well for the morning flight, so what are we doing in the middle of Shepha knows where in the middle of the night? Or was that all an excuse to keep me with you?" Lucifer asked mockingly as he took a seat next to the girl, his feet dangling off the clouds with an opening to the human world underneath. Ciana rolled her eyes good naturedly at him. "You're making me really regret asking you to stay, Lucifer." The girl teased as she shifted slightly to give him more space to sit, only to have him ignore her gestures and sit directly next to her instead. She gave him a small grumble in protest, but truthfully she didn't mind it much, his familiar energy quickly engulfing her senses once more- filling the aching in her heart slowly by the magical touch he had on her. A silence blanketing over them as they both pensively looked down at the mortal world below them, where most of its inhabitants were probably asleep, unaware of being watched over by an unlikely pair up in Heaven. Both of them with heavy thoughts and hearts as they individually sat festering in their own troubled thoughts.

Lucifer sitting in guilt at the fact that if it hadn't been for the girl's sudden invitation to join her, he might have subjected to his demonic ways and taken his anger out on her parents- potentially breaking the trust he had with her. While Ciana sat in pensive thoughts over what she'd just heard and whether she should bring up what she'd heard to Lucifer, about his mother. Or worst... whether it would be to everyone's benefit to cut ties with Lucifer once and for all, seeing how distressed her connection to him were on her parents. If it was true what they were talking about, it meant that the two of them would end up only bringing destruction upon everyone. To what extend, she wasn't sure. But she'd never seen her parents so distressed over anything before, and everything that they'd warned her of and the reasoning behind keeping her away form Lucifer from a young age started making sense. But she didn't want that... She just got him back into her life, and without realizing it, he'd started becoming part of it as well. She wasn't willing to give up on their connection yet.

"What did they say?" The demon finally spoke up, breaking the long silence between them. Silently looking over at the inquisitive look on the demon's face, the girl put on a small smile, trying to forget what she'd overheard her parents talk about. "What we expected, a small lecture and reminder about how different rules in Heaven are compared to the academy, and that bringing in demons to a Seraph's house isn't normally acceptable." She said, giving him a half truth, completely omitting the warning her parents had given her on her friendship with demons, and specially with Lucifer. But Lucifer could see right through her, and could already weed out her lies, understanding what had really taken place even as she tried hiding it from him. "Princess-" He started, but immediately got cut off by the angel as she pointed towards the city below them, trying to redirect his attention somewhere else.

"Do you remember the place we promised to meet up on for your birthday? The... the one I didn't attend to?" She asked quietly, where a silence followed after her words. Ciana not even bothering to turn and look at his expression, the girl knowing well it wouldn't be a good one.

"Yes." The demon finally answered after a brief silence, the red eyed man unsure of why she would bother bringing up such a touchy subject.

Exhaling a deep breath, the girl brought her knees to her chest as she traced patterns onto the soft cloud they sat on, her gaze continuing to watch over the city below them. "Well... you're looking at that place right now... You probably don't recognize it since it's changed over the last few centuries... But this is Athens, the city we were supposed to meet up at." The demon turned to look at the girl, an unreadable look in his eyes, his red orbs raking over her with an expression unknown to her.

"I know it's late, but I wanted to keep my promise to you, even if it's been centuries since I've initially promised it to you. I brought you here because it's where we were meant to meet up... where I was supposed to hand you this..." The angel said as she searched for something in the folds of her dress. "Here, a present for you... I was originally going to give this to you when we were supposed to meet up for your birthday all those centuries ago... But we both know how it went." The girl said softly, bringing out a small velvet box to the demon. The demon's dark eyes quickly flickered with confusion and surprise. "You kept this with you all this time?" He asked incredulously, to which the girl simply gave a small smile to, her eyes scanning over the royal blue and purple casing- sentiments and memories washing over the girl's features as she softly brushed the box with her thumb. "I really wanted to give this to you, I kept holding onto it hoping to give it to you someday." She said, the gentleness of her voice melodically flowing along with the soft winds carrying the clouds floating softly by them. With a smile, the girl tore her gaze away form the box and held it towards the demon, the little box sitting perfectly on the palm of her hands. Uncertain and a bit taken back with the sudden gift, the demon took it from her hesitantly.

"Back then we didn't know what a promise ring was. Remember the time our moms decided to venture down on Earth? The two of us being the uncontrollable children we were snuck away from them, and randomly came across this man panicking as he tried to figure out how to propose to his girlfriend. And us being the pesky kids we were, we asked him what he was doing. And the poor man tried to patiently explain to us about proposals and weddings... But all we focused on as kids was the story of rings connecting two people together." The angel said, her eyes sparkling at the memory, a bright smile grazing her face as she retold their story and the meaning behind the rings. "We didn't know the concept of weddings or proposals, we just thought that promise rings were literal in their name, and that it was almost like a pinky promise." A little laugh escaping her lips as she shook her head in amusement at what they thought a promise ring used to indicate. "I was so amazed by the promise of keeping two people together by a pair of metal chains on each other's fingers- and I thought that was the perfect gift to you- something that would signify and solidify my promise to always be with you by your side, even when we weren't physically together." Ciana said, the angel's smile shining brighter than the moonlight shining softly over them- making her look even more ethereal than the demon ever thought possible, but somewhere within her beautiful eyes he could also sense a tinge of sadness as she fondly looked at the box in his hands.

Softly, the girl took the opened box from the demon's hands, the demon stunned into silence as he watched her, completely enchanted by the golden girl's movements. Carefully taking the two rings out of the box, the girl set the velvet casing gently down on the cloud between them, setting the two exposed circular shiny metal pieces over her open palms. And at her touch, the two golden rings started spinning, setting a golden glow over her hands as they floated over her palms- slowly spinning until they clicked together, forming a infinity sign as they interlocked with each other. And Lucifer wasn't sure if his eyes were deceiving him or not, but he thought he could see a small constellation forming over her palms.

"I always felt you spoiled me when we were kids... You always fed me with the most expensive and unique foods you had, and always showered me with endless gifts whenever we met up... It made me feel bad at times, knowing I would never be able to afford to give back the way you did." The girl whispered softly, a sad look flashing in her eyes as she watched the interlocked rings spin before her. "But I really wanted to find a way to show you how much I cherished our friendship. But back then my family didn't have such a high status or title like we do now, so I couldn't afford to buy you anything expensive as you deserved. Specially when you could get anything you wanted with your position and status... You were Lucifer, son of Satan, after all. While I was an unknown angel that somehow by sheer luck managed to become your best friend... I was a nobody, my mom was a healer at the infirmaries and my dad used to be a welder for the higher angels..." The angel said, a soft sad smile playing on her lips as she continued looking over the infinity sign floating over her hands, the reminiscence of her childhood not having had completely been the most glamorous experience for her. Lucifer looked over at her in silence, not knowing what to say. He'd never seen a difference or power difference between the two when they were kids. He'd never taken her as lesser than him in any shape or form, specially not when his mother dotted so much on her and he couldn't find anyone else as smart and bright as she was. Only now all these centuries after did the angel finally let him know how belittled and small she'd felt due to their power dynamic when they were younger. But that also brought out the topic so many pondered over- how did two unknown angels suddenly manage to climb their way up to the Seraph positions they now had? To become two of the closest angels to Shepha in a matter of what felt like a decade maximum when most angels took eternity to getting to even a Seraphim position?

"I really did want to give you something special. But back then I couldn't afford anything or find anything that possibly expressed enough of the gratitude and affection I felt towards you. And for the longest time I just sat on the thought that I probably wouldn't ever be able to pay you back... Until dad saw how distressed I was, and offered to help me make my own pair of rings for us. We didn't have much, and dad was constantly overworked, but he still managed to find enough time and material to help me create these for you... And you won't believe how ecstatic I was creating them, waiting to give this to you." The angel said, her eyes sparkling in ways that made the universe seem dim compared to them. How could anyone possibly hate such a pure soul like her? Being given such a smile was more than anyone deserved. It was something he didn't deserve. Yet, here she was, giving him a smile only catered to him. Smiling, the angel pulled the rings away from each other, gently pulling the demon's left hand to her and placing the larger ring on his palm. "Here, this one's yours." She said, smiling up towards the demon, and at her look, he completely stopped breathing. Seeing as the demon wasn't saying anything, simply staring at the angel in confusion, the girl giggled, tilting her head slightly to the side in amusement. "What? Not sure how they work? Let me help you." She said, reaching out once more towards the ring, carefully opening the demon's palm and sliding it onto the demon's left ring finger, only to have the ring stop shortly at the middle intersection.

The angel gave an airy laugh, raising the demon's hand in the air between them so that Lucifer could only see half the angel's face as his hand covered her other half- the angel laughing as the ring sat limply at the middle point of the demon's finger. And oh, Shepha, that laugh made him weak. "I forgot how much you've grown since then... Let me fix that." She said before once more reaching for the ring, a spark causing rich shivers to course through the demon's body at the small contact between them. Gently Ciana pulled the ring off his ring finger, before placing it hesitantly onto his pinky instead. The metal easily and smoothly slipping down until it perfectly sat at the base of his finger- claiming its new home. Smiling gleefuly at the perfect fit, the girl quickly took her own ring and placed it on her own pinky finger. "It fits!" She said joyfully, the starts in her eyes shining brighter than any other he'd seen in the night sky above them. "It might not be on the promise finger like I hoped... But it still is a promise finger after all." She said, and with a child like innocence, she picked up the demon's hand once more and brought their pinkies together, connecting them as the rings clinked together in harmony. As the girl continued looking over their intertwined fingers in happiness, the demon could only look over her in stunned silence. How could such a pure girl like her who'd gone through Hell and back from him, still only see him in such a good light?

Noticing the demon's silence, the girl finally tore her gaze away from their interlocked pinkies, and looked over at the silent demon instead. And Lucifer could see the exact moment the girl's bright smile slid off her face and the way the stars in her eyes stopped shining within her golden orbs as his red ones stayed motionless on her. He could see the girl's mind quickly interpret the demon's silence as one of distaste, and a quick flash of hurt could be seen in her eyes before she immediately tried to regain her composure, not wanting to show the demon just how much his reaction had hurt her. But he understood, he'd hurt her. He always did.

Quickly tearing her eyes away from the demon, the girl broke their hold on each other as she glanced down at the mortal world before them instead- the sudden change in the girl's warmth immediately felt. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that... I got too excited there." She said, giving a strained laugh as she looked over at him again, forcing a smile on her face that just didn't feel genuine when held against the ones she'd showered him with a second ago. "I should've thought a ring would be too personal now. I keep thinking and going back as if nothing has changed... Hah, I'm so sorry." She said. But no matter how hard she tried to conceal her disappointment at the demon's cold reception, Lucifer could see just how deep he wounded her with his silence, and he could physically feel the strain on his heart as he watched the deep wounded look on the angel's face. No one should hold enough power to paint that face on her- specially someone as undeserving as him. His silence had shattered her unintentionally. But at this moment he'd give up anything to get back the smile only she could behold- the smile he wished to make his own and never allow to be bestowed on anyone else other than him.

"I should've realized that it was a stupid gift... I'll make it up to you, I'll give you a wish instead. I'll just take this-" The girl said as she avoided looking into the demon's eyes, afraid she'd ruined everything they've managed to build back up as she frantically reached for the demon's hand and towards the ring. And as she started pulling onto the warm metal band, Lucifer without thinking, pulled her towards him- crashing his lips onto hers.

"I like my gift, princess... And I would like for you to grant my wish now as well..." He mumbled quietly against the girl's stunned lips. "Kiss me..." The demon whispered in a low voice as he softly sucked on the girl's lower lip, edging her to open up for him. Egging her to finally allow for both of them to fall into the rabbit hole they both had tried ignoring, but both knew it was only a matter of time before they succumbed to it- both their feelings for each other having had reached a peak that neither could further avoid. And after a while of being unresponsive from shock at the demon's sudden approaches, and against everything fighting within her to not give in, the girl caved in, closing her eyes as she parted her lips, kissed him back just as softly and fully as he was- their hands tightly holding onto each other as the rings on their pinkies glistened happily at each other's touch. And that's when they both realized, they were both a f*cked up pair, everything was held at odds against them, and according to everyone their love story would only end up in tragedy. But when they were in each other's arms, nothing seemed to matter except each other.

If someone had foretold him that he'd end up falling for the princess, he'd straight out laughed at them. Never in his mind would he ever expect to catch feelings towards the one girl he'd wanted nothing more than to destroy in his life. Yet here he was, kissing her for the whirlpool of emotions she'd somehow managed to implode in him... She was a whirlpool, pulling him further into her the more he got to know her. He was drowning, drowning quickly and fast... But he didn't mind it, instead he was ready to give his everything to her- to let her swallow him whole and alive.


	13. An Undead Final Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello! I'm so sorry this took so long to post again. I honestly didn't want to post on a Monday, knowing how busy everyone is on this day. But I also felt really bad for having left you all without a chapter for so long. I thought that I would have had this chapter done by the end of last week, but every time I tried writing, my writer's block became worst and worst. But luckily I ended up finalizing the chapter well, so I hope that it's up to everyone's expectations and worth the long wait time.  
> Thank you so much for all the beautiful words and comments everyone had left me on my last update, I was honestly so blown away by everyone's words... Because honestly I didn't think my last update was that good or deserving of anyone's praises. But it truly made me feel better after reading how much everyone had loved it instead. For this chapter I've also taken your suggestions and decided to give you guys some NSFW content as some of you have suggested. Please be nice and easy on me on it since I'm not good at his kind of writing and didn't even truly intend of writing any in my story at all initially. And I'm sorry if this chapter is lacking or not as up to par with everyone's expectations. I've felt it also is lacking a bit, but honestly I'm proud of how it came out.  
> I do hope you all enjoy the chapter and thank you all so much for staying with me until now :)  
> -Love, Harmony

No one forgets their first kiss.

It's just one of those moments that is forever engraved into one's mind no matter how many other first kisses and how many other people come after it; all of them attempting in a vain effort at replacing the impact created by that first "first" kiss. But matter of fact is, no matter how strong or how deep one's desire and attraction is towards another set of lips, or how deeply one falls for someone else, the ghost of that first kiss will never leave one alone... It'll just continuously linger in one's memory like a parasite.

It'll replay itself the first time one kisses someone new... it'll replay itself as one's about to fall asleep or when the culprit's name is randomly brought up- those haunting lips materializing in front of them as the scene replays itself at the mention of their name. Because that first kiss has that much power and meaning, becoming deeply integral and essential to who one becomes. The moment leaving behind a base and standard to be measure against for future kisses, giving life and meaning to what a kiss means to be and what is expected to be like. And somehow, that small moment stuck in time that should be insignificant compared to one's entire lifetime somehow becomes a permanent piece of them, the moment forever carried in them no matter how many times they try to erase it or pretend it never happened.

Because the first one will always be the first time one's soul shares such an intimate moment with another soul... becoming the moment one's innocence and ignorance to the world of feelings end. And when deeper, more intense, and more complex ones emerge.

And sometimes, the first kiss can be the most painful one to force oneself to forget. Because the bitter truth is that no matter how much time passes by and how other memories fade over time as one grows... the essence of the moment when two souls connect on a spiritual level will forever leave its mark in one's heart, permanently engraved in it.

And the thing with such intense moments like the sharing of a first kiss, is it can be a two sided coin- if lucky, it can become a fond memory one can cherish and look back to from time to time. While others with less luck like Lucifer, such a moment can become a complete curse- a constant torment when the person involved in it is someone they wished they never had the misfortune to enter their lives. And for the longest time, the demon's first kiss has just been that- a curse. But ironically, those lips that tormented him for so long, the ones that had burned themselves into his soul which the demon wanted nothing more than to rip out along with his heart that those lips' owner had stolen were the ones he craved and wanted more than anything at the moment.

_*Lucifer's home- 3 centuries ago*_

 _"Again?!" The young demon asked his best friend in bewilderment, looking down at the angel who was on her knees and elbows in the soil of his garden. The angel_ _trying to discretely hide behind a patch of black smoking roses that were hissing and releasing a sickening black smoke up into the air- the scent one got off the fumes depending on what each person found most enticing. And in the young demon's case, the flowers smelled of fresh rain. Something he'd experienced for the first time on his visit to his best friend's home in Heaven._

_The demon stared at his friend in disbelief, her bright yellow dress and her bright white wings easily giving her position away to anyone with a working set of eyes. Which, either luckily or ironically for the girl, the demon's garden keeper was indeed pretty much blind. A fact the overactive angel was well aware of but seemed to either have completely forgotten about at the moment or be purposely ignoring for her own amusement. The demon settled on the second choice- his best friend indeed having a peculiar incline towards the theatrical side of things. And hiding behind bushes as if ambushing someone was definitely something the likes of her antics. "Shhh! You'll get us caught!" The little angel whispered with a scowl, placing a finger to her pouty lips as she signaled for him to crouch down like she was. The girl hiding between the rows of unique and peculiar flowers and plants growing around them. Many of them rare or hard to come across in Hell as they've been personally cultivated from the three realms: Earth, Heaven, and Hell on his mom's request._

_Watching the white-winged angel in judgement for a solid second, the younger demon stood still in silence, questioning why he even bothered trying to reason with the whimsical schemes of his best friend anymore. Knowing fully well the angel would follow through with her schemes no matter what he said, her mind made up with no space for the demon to argue against. Which in many accounts, her rash decisions had backfired on them and ended up with the demon getting a few good scoldings from his mother. Most people would assume that Lucifer would be the one leading their friendship, or assume that all their mischiefs were conducted by him. If only people knew that the innocently angelic being with her bright eyes and her endless smiles that made anyone fall for her at first sight was the real demon between the two of them. With a finite sigh, the demon fell in resignation at the girl's expectant glance, unable to resist his friend's pleading eyes any longer. The demon giving up on his retaliation and squatting down next to the girl, heaving a heavy sigh before becoming silent as his friend had asked of him._

_"You're going to get us in trouble again. Mom said she wanted have them ready and showcase them for the archdemons coming in next week- and she wasn't happy when she realized that half her biting scorpion fruits were missing because of us the last time..." The demon quietly mumbled in annoyance, recalling the particular scolding he'd gotten that day. But the girl ignored him easily, throwing him a toothy smile instead. "Don't worry Luci, it's only a few we'll be taking. No one will realize there's any missing." The girl said mischievously. And it took everything in the demon to stop himself from rebutting the girl's statement, having heard those exact same words leave the girl's lips the last time right before they got caught. "Besides, your mom never gets mad at me. Cassandra told me that she could never hold grudge against me, that it was part of the girl's code we had." The girl added with a goofy smile, sticking out her tongue at her friend in a mocking manner. The girl knowing fully well that the demon's mother had a special soft spot for her, and she enjoyed bringing that up to her friend whenever she could. Lucifer rolled his eyes, but ended up smiling along with her nonetheless. What could he do? His friend's sweet smile was absolutely contagious. And man was that angelic face of hers deceiving. Because underneath that angel like smile of hers, hid a mastermind full of mischievous ideas that were bound to bite him back later at his expense. "And they say I'm the demon in this friendship... Why does no one believe me when I say that you're the one who comes up with all these schemes?" The demon sighed as he shook his head in disbelief._

_The two kids silently watched as the gardener leisurely tended the flowerbeds of Cassandra's garden, the older demon unaware of the best friends that were watching him carefully from a few rows away from him. As the gardener wandered further down the rows from the patches were fruits were growing, and towards the glowing Heaven created fauna, the two carefully crept around the bushes they were hiding towards where the older demon was retrieving from. Making sure that the gardener was far away to not catch their energies, the two flattened themselves further into the ground so that the bushes completely obscured them as they continued their slow pace towards the intended target._

_"You must really like them to go to this much trouble for them." The demon grumbled displeased as he watched his friend vibrate from impossible excitement at the prospect of getting her hands on the glorious red fruit. The girl let out a small giggle. "I do, they taste unlike anything I've ever tasted! Earth has some of the best fruits for sure... I wonder why we don't have them in Heaven." The girl said in awe. Lucifer wasn't sure why the girl loved them so much, sure the red fruits from Earth tasted pretty good, but surely it wasn't that groundbreaking that he would willingly get in trouble to get his hands on some of them. Unfortunately, when it came to his best friend's happiness, he was more than willing to do anything for her._

_When they were sure the gardener was far away enough to not detect their energies, the girl quickly and swiftly got onto her feet as she stealthily ran over to the strawberry patch, quickly plucking a few of the berries and placing them onto her folded skirt that replaced the use of a basket. But just as the girl started making her way back, the demon noticed the gardener turning back towards them. Throwing a silent profanity under his breath, the demon quickly dashed after the unknowing angel and pushed her behind him into the bushes in an attempt at hiding her, the demon standing now in front of the older demon that looked at him suspiciously._

_Ciana watched through the slight openings between the leaves in suspense, hoping and preying for her friend to not get into too much trouble because of her. She knew she joked all the time about the angel being able to get away from many of their mischiefs, but she never truly wanted her friend to ever get into deep trouble because of her. Holding her breath, the watched the two demons exchange a few words before the older demon shook his head and shooed Lucifer away in a dejected manner. A few seconds the demon waited after the gardener went back to tending the gardens before he went back to his friend, ready to chew out at her, only to have the air knocked out of him as the girl jumped at him instead, tightly hugging him. "Oh please tell me you didn't get into trouble, Luci... I'm so so sorry... I didn't know he was heading back to us." The girl said hysterically, sobbing into the demon's chest as she tightly held onto her best friend. And just like that, his anger subsided as an odd sensation of warmth flooded in his system as the girl tightly clung to him._

_"It's okay Ciana... I'm ok, we're ok." He said gently, softly pulling his friend away so that he could wipe the girl's tears away. Seeing as the girl continued looking up at him in guilt, the demon looked at the strawberries now forgotten to the side after the girl had jumped to check on him. Picking one up and brushing the dirt away on his shirt, the demon placed it in front of the girl's lips, telling her to open up. And without question, the girl did so, to which she picked one of her own and gave it to the demon just as he'd done, causing the demon to smile at her innocent manner. And at his simple gesture to calm her down, the girl stopped crying, her teary eyes now glancing at the red fruit in her hand._

_The two sat in silence by the black roses they had been by before, knowing that it was a safe distance away from the gardener. And Lucifer couldn't help but watch in complete awe at the way the girl happily bit into the berries they've collected, and at her happy look, he couldn't help but smile along with her. But as he reached out a hand for another berry, he realized that they've all been taken._

_Lucifer stared at the angel as a deep frown appeared on his face- his red eyes zeroing on the last bright red strawberry the girl was bringing to her lips. Ciana caught the demon's stare and momentarily stopped, looking up at him with those hazel golden eyes that always made him feel something flutter within him whenever they landed on him. Noticing his focus on the berry between her fingers, the girl momentarily paused, unaware of her best friend's feelings for her before throwing her friend a toothy grin. "If you want it that badly, then come get it." She said, sticking her tongue out to the dark haired boy in a teasing manner as she brought the berry to her lips, knowing her best friend would never dare do such a thing. But completely to her surprise, the demon sprang to her, knocking her down onto her back as his lips pressed against hers- taking the last bit of the strawberry from her lips, his lips softly brushing against hers as he did, smearing the red juices of the berry onto the girl's lips in the process._

_And at the demon's touch, the girl starred up at her best friend in complete shock, her small hand softly brushing her lips where the demon's own had just brushed against. And only then did the demon realize just what he'd done- his momentary moment of thriump now taken over by shock at his actions._

_"What was that?" The girl asked in a whisper, her fingers still light touching where the demon had left his mark on her._

_But the demon didn't take back his kiss, nor did he ask the girl to forget about it, because truthfully... their small kiss had left a happy mark on him._

_"A memory so you'll never forget me. Something to show you how much you matter to me." The demon said._

_And the roses they were sitting by no longer smelled of rain like the first time, no. Now they smelled of fresh strawberries..._

The hazel golden-eyed angel he shared such a complicated and painful past with had been his first of many... His first friend, his first kiss, his first heartbreak, his first enemy... and now, his first promise. It was unbelievable how much fate connected the two of them. Her lips had tasted like the sweetest strawberries the first time they shared a kiss... and she tasted just as sweet now, if not, even more than the first time.

The girl that had cursed him with the memories he tried so heavily to forget was ironically also the cure to his memories...

* * *

When Ciana had let herself succumb to Lucifer's wishes, she didn't think his kiss would affect her so much. She thought that at most she'd feel a few sparks fly between them at their contact, or some sort of quickened, elated heartrate like anyone feels around their crush. But most of all she thought that she'd feel relief at finally releasing her pent up feelings for him into the world through their kiss. Thinking that once she finally kissed him, her irrational and forbidden feelings towards the demon would finally be acknowledge and be given the attention it'd been starved off before subsiding and slowly fading away over time... that it was probably just curiosity about the could be's and possibilities between them as well as a hint of sexual tension between them that made her feel this way; She was sure that curing this constant thirst for the demon would easily be done through simply admitting she felt something for him and surrendering herself to one quick kiss.

But contrary to all her beliefs and expectations, her mind immediately went on a complete standstill as a surge of intense and indescribable feelings rushed through her body as the demon's lips locked onto hers, creating sparks to spread and spring to life every nerve in her body as if she'd been struck by lighting. Making her feel sensitive to the demon's every touch and completely weak at the way the demon sensually and forcefully took over their kiss, dominating her tongue as he fought for dominance over the two- their contact painting a galaxy filled with the brightest and most vibrant stars to come to life in her eyes as the demon's energy and attention engulfed her. Making every passing second he held her in his arms a spiral of complete ecstasy as her entire world became centered on the demon and his magnetizing touches and consistent caresses. Lucifer made her feel nothing but him as he continued kissing her as if she were something fragile and valuable for him to cherish- his tongue exploring every part of her mouth while his hands roamed over her body in such a primal and possessive manner... almost as if he felt just as intoxicated and affected by their kiss as she was, as if he could never get enough of her and the connection they sparked and fueled to life. And his affection and tenderness towards her ignited her own wants and desires towards the demon, making her lust for him just as much as she made him feel.

She thought she knew what a kiss was, what feeling for someone else was. She thought she knew what falling and being in love with someone was like. She thought she had that with Chase. She thought what she felt with the male angel completely magical and irreplaceable, every moment she'd been with him feeling as if they were given a world of their own in a fairy tale story. She thought there was nothing nor anyone else that could surpass the feelings that the male angel encrypted in her heart with his gentle touches and his Earth shattering smile that made her heart skip a beat every time he blessed her with one. But what she felt as her lips locked with the demon's was beyond anything she'd felt before. Every cell in her body was screaming in complete bliss and pure euphoria at his every touch- his warm hands roaming over her revealed and exposed back in such mesmerizing manners that she couldn't feel or think of anything for the exception of the demon's warmth freely caressing her body tenderly and the feel of his tongue pushing greedily into her mouth, urging her to give herself fully to him- Telling her that he needed her, all of her.

And the scary part was, at the moment she was completely willing to do so because she too, felt the same way. She'd come to terms that she'd somehow developed feelings towards her ex-best friend at some point. She even entertained the possibility of them sharing a kiss from the way he seemed to constantly lock his gaze on her lips when the two ended up getting just a little to close to each other during a conversation- the demon always lighting up a foreign want and desire within her with the way his blood red pools roamed over her. But the rational part of her kept fighting back the feelings she'd been developing towards the demon, understanding that the rules of segregation shouldn't be disobeyed for the stupid and fleeting feelings she'd started harboring towards him. And in her mind, it always made sense. Angels will always be with angels, demons will only be with demons. That was simply the rule- had always had been the rule. And she'd lived and believed that rule blindly her entire life as she'd been constantly reminded of it by her parents and every other angel she'd been surrounded with, telling her that it was the right thing to follow. Constantly reminding her that without rules the world would turn into complete chaos, and eventually seize to exist. And chaos was something that in Heaven was never allowed. And she believed it. Or at least, that's what she thought until now. Until she got a taste of the demon's lips on hers. 

Lucifer wasn't the one that she was supposed to be catching feelings for... He wasn't supposed to be the one that made her heart burst into a thousand sparks that quickly expanded into an uncontrollable forest fire that complete set her chest on fire... He wasn't supposed to be the one withholding the power to create endless butterflies to rise and form a tornado of fluttering wings in her stomach at the slightest of his touches... He shouldn't be the one that instilled such intense emotions within her that she momentarily lost any sense of control over herself whenever she was around him. Yet, Lucifer was the one she was tightly clutching onto as if her life depended on as his lips devoured hers in a kiss endlessly filled with a passion and vulnerability that neither knew how to describe. He made her feel such intense and raw emotions, momentarily making her forget about who they were and all the rules they were breaking. Making her realize, that perhaps she never truly had felt what love was before... Not until Lucifer gave it to her. He made her crave this intoxicatingly illicit and completely forbidden kind of love that she should never have allowed herself to submit to. He was everything she shouldn't want... But right now he felt like the only one she needed.

The twinkling and eternal night sky with its endless cosmos above them watching as the only witnesses to the two young individuals who finally let go of all restrictions and roles surrounding their feelings for the other, allowing themselves to surrender to each other- their estranged and complicated past carried away along with the crisp autumn wind mindlessly blowing around them as they got lost into each other's caresses. Both completely unable to let go of each other just yet. And all she knew was that at that moment, all she wanted and all her body begged for was for the demon to continue stripping her off of the walls surrounding her heart and continue showering her with the intensity and heat he was exuding at her.

Him and her, demon and angel, the offsprings of two set of powerful and authorative figures at the top of their ranks fighting and representing the opposite side of each other... It should have felt so wrong, but truthfully, nothing had ever felt more right to Ciana before. And it was because of that that she let herself loose into Lucifer's touches and those luscious lips of his. Her heart fluttered as she felt him smile against her lips, showing her that he was just as captivated and in bewilderment at what they were doing- breaking any and every rule in the book as they completely disregarded it all for each other's touch. Both demon and angel disregarding all ethics and morals they grew up harboring, because at the moment, all they could feel was each other. Everything Ciana breathed and thought about at the moment being Lucifer. They might come to regret this decision soon, but for now all she wanted was to let the demon take her breath away. And it should've felt wrong, she should've pulled back and realized how many rules she was breaking- should've stopped herself while her mind still was consciously aware of what she was doing. But she didn't. It felt too good, too right, and she felt too at home in the demon's arms as she lost herself into the demon's caresses and warmth. She couldn't get enough of his alluring aura nor his intoxicating scent that was quickly overtaking all her senses, making her numb to any outside factors other than the demon tightly holding onto her- the demon she was baring her whole heart and soul towards.

Was this what true love felt like? She asked herself as the two paused to catch their breaths, their battered breaths creating illusions of loved filled sentiments that they just couldn't word and say aloud to each other yet. 

Slowly breaking apart, the two looked at each other in silent wonder as they breathed heavily in, their lungs burning from having been deprived of air as the two passionately lost themselves into each other's senses- their hearts beating at an unsteady, frantic and elated pace. They knew they both felt it, they could see it in the way their eyes held each other's gaze in absolute wonder and ecstasy- as if they couldn't get enough of each other. And truth was, they really couldn't. There was something unique and ethereal about the way they made each other feel. It was both forbidden and absolutely wrong in any sense they could think of. Yet it was this sense of disobedience and wrongness that made their whole connection that much more exciting and enticing.

As air started filtering back into her system, soothing down the impulsive feelings they've found for each other, the girl's brain started reeling back into function, and the realization of the severity of their actions started catching back with her. Leaving behind a heavy feeling of dread in her chest. Carefully pulling herself away, Ciana closed her eyes as her chest raised and fell in deep uneven breaths from their passion driven make out session, the girl placing her head against the demon's chest for support in her spent and fragile state. "Lucifer... this is all wrong... we shouldn't be doing this..." She said after a minute of silence, in a quiet voice between uneven breaths as her mind tried fighting to reign back some sort of sense into her. But to no avail as the demon's intoxicating scent continued reaching for her, imprisoning her to the demon's will. His perfectly carved lips, and his captivating taste still lingering on her tongue, making it hard for her to think straight no matter how much she tried to fight him back.

Lucifer looked at her in silence, torn at seeing the angel so conflicted and guilt filled with herself after letting herself go after what they both knew her heart had wanted- what both their hearts wanted. Watching the girl quietly struggle against herself for a moment, the demon eventually decided he couldn't watch the angel tear herself apart any longer. Gently but firmly, the demon pulled the girl towards him against his chest, his left hand that now proudly wore the ring connecting him to the angel that held the key to his heart, softly patting and creating soothing patterns on her back as he tried calming her down- his familiar scent and heartbeat soothing and lulling the girl into a calmer mind space. Understanding that out of the two of them, she'd be most impacted by the rules they've broken because unlike the demon who did as he pleased despite the rules set for him, the innocent angel was driven by those same rules he chose to break.

"Princess... For tonight, do me a favour and let's just pretend the stupid rules don't exist. That there was nothing for us to break and to hold back from. For once in our lives let's not let anyone else dictate what we can and can't feel- what we can and can't be for their own selfish benefits and peace of mind." Carefully taking ahold of the girl's chin, and bringing it up so that her glossy and pained golden orbs couldn't wander anywhere but look into his alluring red ones, he leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her nose. "Aren't you tired of this, your highness? Constantly putting other's well being before your own just to please them? From ignoring and running away from your own desires? Because I am- been for a long time. And I know you are as well. Tell me, is it so wrong for two individuals to feel attraction towards each other? To make each other feel something that should freely belong to them?" The demon asked, gently brushing a tear that had leaked out of the girl's eye as she fought against the guilt in her heart, to which the angel continued looking at him with conflicted emotions. Understanding that in theory, no. No one should feel guilty over liking another. But she knew their case wasn't that simple. They weren't mere mortals that could fight and defy the differences surrounding their love life... No, they had it much harder, they were fighting against a system that wasn't meant to be broken. A system placed for individuals like them in an attempt at keeping them apart for the benefit of their race. Because breaking the rules of segregation was against everything their world was built on. And the consequences they could face for their actions wasn't something small that could easily be brushed off with a simple scolding. No, even execution was too light of a sentence for what they allowed themselves to act out.

"Let's not be pawns in anyone else's stupid game, princess. Let's create a game of our own where only we come out as winners... Where we make the rules and everyone else has to obey them to get to us. I want you and that's all that matters. And I know you want me just as much by the way it's affecting you this much, princess."

She looked up at the demon she was falling for, conflicted. She was trying to fight back against her impulses, against her lustful thinking and her stupid betraying heart. But she couldn't. She knew the demon was right in how much she wanted him... In how much she needed him. "How, Lucifer? How do I do that when all my life I've been running away from fights and conflicts? How do I allow myself to freely feel so much for you when I've always believed and lived by the rules?" She asked, insecurity and fright showing in her golden hazel eyes. She was vulnerable, open and raw towards him about how much it scared her feeling this much for someone so forbidden. But he understood her, because truth be damned, he too felt the same way. "How do I allow myself to feel for you when you're everything I've been taught to distance and feel nothing for?"

"By taking it step by step- slowly. Together." He said in a soft but assured voice.

And that level of sureness in his voice was just what the two were unknowingly waiting for. The final trigger that the angel/demon duo had waited for to finally give into their impulses and for their lips to find each other's again, this time completely unrestrained and completely passion ridden without any thoughts towards the consequences. The demon devouring the girl's lips as if he'd impatiently been waiting to take hold over them once more. His hands eagerly tracing the outlines of the angel's face before lowering towards her collarbones where he momentarily broke their kiss to gently trace them with his tongue- causing shivers and goosebumps to spread on her skin at the contrast of his hot breath on her neck to the cold bitter autumn temperature. His hands cascading further down to the girl's rips and further down to her waist. Only to go back up a bit until his hands hovered right over her breasts. Feeling the round outlines of the girl's bossoms under his fingertips, the demon gently but firmly grabbing onto them, as his lips simultaneously found their way back to the girl's lips and bit onto the girl's bottom lip, causing the girl to let out a small gasp of pleasurable pain at the demon's roughness. Enticed at hearing the girl's gasp, the demon continued massaging the angel's breasts through the soft fabric of her dress as his lips left hers once more and wandered down the soft skin of her neck instead, leaving behind a trails of kisses behind- his motions causing her nipples to hardening from overstimulation from both the mix of hot and cold touches on her skin and the demon's sensual grab on her.

Groaning at the girl's lust filled sounds, the demon traced the zipper of her dress with his free hand before coming back up and pulling it down, her dress sleeves freely falling and exposing her shoulders and the top half of her chest. Pausing momentarily to appreciate his work, the demon sighed in approval at the sight before him, causing the girl to blush at the intense look he gave her as his eyes roamed over her chest. She'd never felt so exposed but so excited at someone's lustful sight before. The demon licked his lips in anticipation before grabbing hold of the girl's wrist and roughly bringing her closer to him before leaning down and started leaving wet kisses on her breasts, enjoying the soft whimpers the girl gave him as he went further down, pulling the girl's top half off along the way- fully exposing her perfectly round breasts to him. And at seeing them, he immediately felt himself harden. She was perfect, absolutely perfect. But what more could he expect from the golden angel? Even in his mind, his imagination never could make justice to just how beautiful she looked in front of him completely bare. Grunting, the demon forcefully pulled the girl onto his lap, his face right on level with her breasts that were heaving from excitement and anticipation, her crotch sitting right over his ever growing bulge. He'd had sex many times before, Hell, he'd go crazy if he didn't have constantly. But nothing compared to the feeling the girl was giving him- the way her scent and energy made him loose his mind and become rabid for her touch and caresses.

Urged by complete greediness, the girls' hands started wandering over the demon's chest, where she silently begged for the demon to let her take his top off, feeling shy and unfair at being the only one exposed. And at her pleading eyes, the demon smirked, quickly tearing his button down off and throwing it to the side. He watched pleased at the way the angel's eyes widened for a second as she took him in, her inquisitive eyes roaming over his chest and to his toned abs before her soft fintertips softly outlining and tracing the tattoos that were covering his chest- his own eyes following her every movement. And man was he captivated by her gentle touch. Oh Shepha, even in the angel's complete innocent touches and manners, she somehow managed to completely captivate him. How did this girl manage to get so much power over him? Where her every touch, every kiss, every movement made his heart feel something it shouldn't be possible to feel?

Not being able to take the distance between them anymore, his lips trailed loving kisses down her neck, causing the girl to lightly shiver as the cool air lightly touched the wet patch the demon left behind- creating pleasant sparks of pleasure to course through her body. The girl bit her lip softly as she stifled a soft moan as she felt the demon's hands roam further down towards her bottom half, where he softly started rubbing against the inner part of her legs. The sensation so blissful it caused her to tilt her head back, allowing further access to the demon to her exposed skin. The angel closed her eyes in pure ecstasy as the demon continued showering her with light, yet intense kisses and caresses, setting her skin on fire wherever his warm hands roamed on her body- causing the demon to smirk at the sight of the girl being so affected by his touch. Ciana tightened her grip on the demon's shoulders as his kisses trailed further down her chest, lower towards her erect bud, and towards her nipples, sucking on it lightly before gently nipping it- from which the angel let out the most glorious moan the demon ever had heard. He loved it, completely enamored by the girl's every touch and sound- completely overtaken by the girl's sweet sounds that were caused by him. Lucifer himself felt as if he was losing his mind simply listening to the girl's soft whimpers. He was completely infatuated with her sounds, at the way his name rolled off her tongue enlaced with her honey like voice. He pulled her further in towards himself, trying to level her with him. His right hand roughly grabbed her by the chin, forcing the angel to look into his red eyes as he ruthlessly kissed her sweet lips once more- causing the girl to tremble from the immerse sense of lust that filled her as she watched him sensually look into her eyes as his tongue delved further into her mouth, completely dominating her. Feeling empowered by how much the girl moaned for him, his hand started roaming down towards her neck, where he placed it, gripping her neck and exerted enough force to make her whiz in blissful pain. Knowing well from his past experiences that every other woman he'd done it to had loved it, begging him to strangle them further from the pain. 

But contrary to anything he'd imagined, the girl sprung and pulled herself back away from him in a panic, pushing against his chest forcefully as she left his lips that were still craving for hers.

Confused, the demon looked towards the angel, only to see full fear and panic in her eyes, a look of pure terror looking back at him as the angel shivered and wrapped herself away from him. And at her pitiful look, the demon completely froze him in place- his heart completely freezing over in the process as well, not expecting to see such pain in the girl's eyes. Not when they were just having such an intimate and intense moment. "Princess?" He asked unsure, reaching out a tentative and unsure hand towards her, to which she quickly pulled herself away from. But he didn't need an explanation to why the girl was suddenly so distant and cold towards him, because through her pained golden orbs, he immediately caught and relived the moment that he regretted most. Through the angel's pained eyes, he watched himself look down at a tortured and heartbroken angel through his own hate-filled eyes as he tightly and merciless squeeze at the girl's throat- murderous intentions festering within him, terrorizing the girl before him that had only had good intentions for him. And only now that he re-watched the scene, did he realize just how much he'd broken and tortured the girl through his hate-filled views. And never had he ever hated himself more before.

They stood in silence for a second, unsure of how to react to the situation. The girl closed her eyes, the flashback traumatizing her to the point she could physically feel the demon's grip tighten around her neck just as he'd done that time in Hell. She could feel her body shaking as a wave of tears threatened to leak soon. "I'm sorry..." The girl uttered softly, weakly. He body shivering from both the cold and the haunting memory trigged by the demon's grip on her. "I'm sorry... I ruined everything again... I-" But the angel never got to finish as the demon spoke over her, unable to let her take the blame the pain he himself had inflicted on her. "Don't. Don't blame yourself. Please, princess... don't." The two sat in complete silence as they let the moment pass, unsure of how to act or do now.

Giving the girl enough time to calm down and regain her composure, wordlessly, the demon shifted and brought the girl into himself, setting her down on his lap as he silently pulled back up the girl's dress, making sure she wasn't cold any more as he wrapped his arms around her- facing them both towards the rising sunrise that was covering the last of the night sky. The girl didn't complain against the demon's gentle actions, gently setting her head against the demon's chest as she allowed his arms to protectively surround her. "There was one morning when I saw the most beautiful sunrise after a particularly harsh talk I've had with my father. At the time I thought the world was nothing but complete bullshit, thinking that pain and torture were the only honourable ways to make it through the world." The demon softly spoke up as the sky turned it's first shade of pink as he gently played with the girl's hair. "But that morning unknowingly brought some calm into me... washing my broken body with a familiar warmth I didn't recognize back then- somehow healing me bit by bit as I continued watching the sky change colours before me." The demon gave a small chuckle as he recalled the particular day. "I felt not as lonely that day for some reason. As if someone else was looking out for me instead of leaving me alone like I'm used to." Ciana froze at the demon's words, piecing together the memories he was talking about, the girl unable to believe the words the demon was giving her. "The same person I hurt so many times before was actually the only one that cared enough for me to constantly look out for me despite my hurtful ways and actions towards them... the one who gave me that small sense of hope... And that same person who gave me that beautiful morning is watching another one with me right now." He finished gently, as the girl slowly turned to look up at him in silent awe. And as their eyes locked onto each other's, the demon slowly bent down and gave her a soft and innocent kiss, one filled with endless promise.

They didn't know how long they could live in this perfect fantasy world, where it was only the two of them in a world where no one could interfere. Where no one could hurt them. They both just knew they wanted to make the most of it. Specially when words describing how they felt towards each other were still foreign to them. They both knew that the moment they shared and had on this little cloud- this illusion and mirage of comfort and happiness would be stripped from them soon, where they would be back to reality, were their feelings for each other were forbidden and where the world they lived in went against everything they just felt right there for each other. But for now, they allowed themselves to simply feel.

* * *

Lucifer quietly watched the girl as she calmly and peacefully slept between her pillows and feather soft golden covers as he traced feather like touches onto her skin- the girl oblivious to the tormented look the demon was giving her as he sat next to her on her bed in the complete darkness of her room. The girl had fallen asleep in his arms shortly after having finished watching the last of the sunrise with him. And as much as he wanted to keep her to himself and be completely selfish by keeping her away from going back to her world, he knew he just couldn't do that. So instead, he'd silently taken her back up to the castle and to her room, ignoring the wondering and curious glances her maid threw at them as he gently and affectionately placed the girl into bed, taking his time to carefully pull the covers over the angel. The maid luckily seeming to sense and understand how intimate this moment was for the two, and left them alone, promising the demon to not say anything to the Seraphs if they asked.

He shouldn't be feeling so much for her. Even after figuring out that his perception on her had been completely wrong and she wasn't to blame for who he'd become, part of him still defied in acknowledging that. Part of him still wanted and needed to hate her- to give reason to why he was so ruthless and why his character had turned out to be the way it was instead of taking blame for it, for believing something he should've known the angel would've never done to him. But he couldn't... Every moment he spent with her made him feel like the young careless and emotionally intact demon he once was. Taking him back to when his life had been simpler and happier. But he also knew that wasn't the world they lived in anymore, the time had passed and the outcomes of their past had already taken toll and affect over their future. They could never go back to the innocent children they had been at one point.

The demon gently brushed a stray strand of hair away from the girl's neck, where the soft and gentle sunlight lightly illuminated the patch of skin through the window- making her skin glow in golden light. Lucifer stared at the girl's exposed skin before softly trailing his fingers over it without actually touching it- afraid he'd wake her up and trigger the horrific memory once more. Back then it felt like the right thing to do, he felt so riled up and completely hatred-filled after his conversation with his dad surrounding the angel- his dad filling him with lies about to angel to get him to turn on her, and his words had done its magic on him. He thought it was his right place to inflict the same amount of pain onto the girl as she'd done to him, back then only seeing pure red and anger in his eyes. But now that hatred-driven moment which he'd felt so empowered and right by, was now the same moment that was hindering and holding him back from the angel.

"One day... One day I'll make up to you and erase all the pain I've caused you... I'll make it so that you'll completely forget that moment ever took place and stop haunting you... So that that smile of yours will never disappear again, princess." Lucifer softly whispered as he laid a soft kiss to the girl's neck, looking at her sleeping form for a second longer before getting up and heading to the door.

As he stepped out into the corridor, the took notice of the maid who was patiently waiting for him, ready to escort him back to his assigned room. She didn't say anything, didn't comment anything, somehow understanding that there was something more happening between them. And despite her not being on board with their choices, she felt pity towards them after seeing just how much silent affection their gazes held for each other throughout the night. The demon silently acknowledged her before silently following after her down the hallway when the two suddenly froze at the sound of hurried voices and footsteps reaching them.

"We've implemented extra security for the tower like you've asked, as well as informed Crowley and Fencio on making sure to keep her away from anything that would trigger her memories or get her to discovering the prophesies. Posts everywhere else also seem to be clear as well, no one based off our descriptions have been spotted just like before."

"Good... Make sure to secure all known openings between Heaven and Earth as well."

"And make sure to send someone down to Hell and bring back information on whether Satan is planning anything with Malbonte."

"I'll let the council know. But for now, we can't let Neo-"

But the conversation abruptly stopped as the owners of the voices came into the clearing, their full attentions drawn towards the maid and the demon that had quietly listened into their conversation. The female angel threw the incomers an anxious look, concerned about being caught hiding the demon in her master's home. But the three angels that came into the clearing were more concerned over how much information Lucifer had managed to listen on. The third angel that had accompanied the two Seraphs stiffened, throwing an unsure and uneasy glance at the two Seraphs and the demon before bowing to them, having assessed the situation and coming to understanding that his presence would probably not be wanted. "I should be leaving. I'll keep you posted, Thiago, Parisa." He said before swiftly leaving down the hall, where the maid quickly followed after him, mumbling something along the lines of showing him the way to the door- their footsteps echoing loudly against the marble floor.

A thick and suffocating silence fell over the three individuals left standing in the hallway, unsure of what to say or how to react in this situation. How much had Lucifer heard or understood from their little conversation? For everyone's sake, the two Seraphs hoped not much. But even then, as they stood silently glancing at each other unsurely, they were well aware that the demon was not one to underestimate. No one had expected for them to have come face-to-face with each other in the middle of their own home after all.

Lucifer silently studied the two Seraphs before him, seeing them personally for the first time in centuries. For a second all three of them stayed still in complete silence, unsure of how to address and say to each other. Lucifer had seen and studied them from afar during the gala, keeping away from actually interacting with them solely in consideration of the princess' mental well-being, knowing fully well that she'd had a full blown melt down if they came across each other. But now that he was face-to-face with them on his own, he wasn't sure how to react. At one point they used to be like parents to him as well. They made him feel as if he had a full family whenever they met up with each other. Hell, the two of them made better parents than his father ever would. He'd always envied the way the princess had both parents dotting on her and caring for her in every possible way, and he'd felt so included when they'd taken him in as their own son at one point as well. "Parisa, Thiago. Long time no see." The demon finally said, breaking the stiffening silence around them- his voice ringing across the empty and vast hallway.

The male angel's body stiffened at his greeting, while the female angel's momentarily expressed something close to shock and pain. The two stood rooted for a second, unsure of what to make of their encounter with the demon they least expected to be in their home before the male angel eventually stepped up, plastering on a smile that was just a little too forced. "Lucifer, it's been a while." Thiago finally said, stepping up to the demon and extending out a hand to him like he would do with a stranger. The exchange completely foreign and unfamiliar compared to the fatherly manner the male angel used to greet Lucifer with before.

The demon stared at the hand in complete silence for a long moment, ignoring the confused and heavy air hanging over them as the two Seraphs waited for his return greeting. But Lucifer only gave them a low scoff in disbelief as a twisted grin took over his lips. "Long enough to have become complete strangers, it seems... Dad." The demon said bitterly, spatting out the last word with venomous vigor at the male demon. Any sense of reserved familiarity he had left over for the two angels now completely gone at the cold reception the demon got. He watched in satisfaction at the stunned look on the angel's face at the demon's greeting, not having expected to have been referred to by the title he'd asked of the demon to call him as back when they'd been close. The two seraphs exchanged a weary glance before the male put on a smile, lowering his hand down. 

"It truly is you, Lucifer... You've grown a lot." Parisa whispered in a brittle voice as she stood completely still, looking at him with conflicting emotions. Her face physically paling and losing the confident front she usually don at the sight of the physical form of the demon she'd held nurture as a child standing before her. She'd been aware of the demon having stepped into her home, roaming around the halls during the gala at her daughter's side. But she didn't expect for him to still be here... to be greeting her confidently at her own home while she felt as if she'd been thrown into a stranger's home instead. The female angel tried her hardest at keeping a cool demeanor while fighting back the heart wrenching pain that was quickly engulfing her and centering around her heart as she looked into the demon's deep red eyes. Eyes that were a carbon copy of her dear best friend's... of the one who's death still haunted her to this day. And for the second time that day, she was hit with an overwhelming sense of guilt and dread- Cassandra's pleading eyes looking back at her as her last request fluttered out of her lip... replaying once more in her mind. _Whatever you do... Keep Ciana away from Lucifer._ Parisa felt a sharp pain in her heart, and it took every ounce of strength left in her to not show the deep sorrow she felt at the sight of the demon she considered her own son at one point.

"Parisa. You seem well." Was all the demon said back, throwing cocky smile at her as he looked her over. The humble look she used to wear now replaced by the finest silks Heaven had. Yeah, she was definitely doing well.

The male angel hesitantly spoke up once more, stepping in between his wife and the demon in the process- having noticed his wife's unstable state at the presence of demon. "We didn't expect you to still be here... Ciana told us you've already left earlier. And we didn't detect your energy... How?" The angel suddenly paused, looking the demon over in confusion, disbelief flashing in his blue eyes as realization hit him, his eyes wandering over to the closed door right behind the demon that belonged to his daughter.

"Ciana..."The male angel finally said in a strained voice. Lucifer didn't answer in acknowledgement nor disagreement, but the two angels didn't need an answer from him, the two seraphs already having pieced together the situation on their own. Understanding that for the first time in her life, Ciana had betrayed their trust and chosen to lie for Lucifer instead. In the stillness of the hallway, the male Seraph's mind started coming to understand just how serious their situation between their daughter and Lucifer was. "Your energy... We weren't aware of you being here because none of us detected it... Had Ciana told you about her powers as well?"

Lucifer carefully looked over the reactions from the angels curiously, not understanding why they were so concerned with the angel exposing her powers. "Why would it be a surprise? Why would she need to keep her powers a secret?" He asked, looking down over the two figures that were becoming more and more foreign to him the more he looked at them. "We're bound to expose our powers at the academy anyways... Surely you were aware of that, you two having been students at the academy before... Why would you be suddenly so worried about her powers getting exposed?" Lucifer caught the two angels exchange a worried glance between each other at the demon's question. The demon slowly unfolded his arms as he frowned at them- looking closer at the two Seraph's distressed faces.

"There's more to her powers than you've told her about, isn't there? All I know is that her powers have something to do with energy manipulation, which you've made her disguise for some unknown reason... But there's been something off with her energy ever since I've met her again... And I'm starting to think both of you know more about it than you're letting on..." Lucifer said, slowly pushing himself against the wall he was leaning on and walking over to the two angels, his height easily towering over the two Seraphs, making them feel more on edge at the demon's proximity.

"What exactly is it that you're hiding from her? Would it have anything to do with your request and meddling with Crowley and Fencio you've mentioned earlier? The one about keeping her away from whatever it is that triggers her?" The demon inquired, quirking an eyebrow up at the two angels- up until this point the demon making some speculations just to get under the angels' skin. But at his words, the two Seraphs visibly froze, fear and fright flashing in their eyes as they looked at the demon in stunned silence, neither expecting him to have actually caught onto what they've been talking about. And at their fright stricken looks, Lucifer's smirk fell off his face at the look the angels gave him, replaced by a deep and concerned frown. The demon felt his own body shiver at the way they looked at him- as if he'd struck a cord he wasn't supposed to.

"So there really is something you're hiding from her... Just like my father had warned me about..." The demon whispered in disbelief barely above a whisper as she stared blankly at the two angels. When the two didn't answer back, the demon's brows further creased into themselves as he realized just how grave and deep the situation the two Seraphs dug themselves into was. "Does she know?" He whispered coldly at them, his insides churning uncomfortably at the revelation that the girl's parents were plotting behind her back- had been plotting behind her back for centuries now without her knowledge. "Is the princess aware that her parents are keeping secrets from her?" Lucifer continued inquiring, looking between the two Seraphs shifting uncomfortably as they tried avoiding the demon's piercing gaze. "You guys are hiding something... you know you're hiding something... and it's not something small seeing the way you kept your own daughter in the dark about it..." The demon paused for a second, suddenly realizing something, his train of thoughts going into overdrive as more and more started clicking together for him.

"The darkness everyone's talking about in her... The one she keeps concealing and the one my father had warned me about, and my father's warning of how you two have deceived us and robbed us, it's got something to do with my mother, doesn't it? What you're hiding has something to do with my mom doesn't it? That's why the princess got taken away from me without explanation right after her death... Or why she doesn't recall my mother at all... Why she doesn't remember having left me at all as if years have been wiped from her mind..." Lucifer voiced out, more of a statement than a question. "You guys know something about it... And you're keeping it from her- from me." The demon growled out as he grabbed onto the male angel's shirt in a blinding fit of anger as his own thoughts and words started getting to him. But the two Seraphs didn't listen to his last words, the two gaping at him in horror instead.

"You talked to her about your mother?!" The Seraph in his hands asked horrified at the demon. Lucifer not understanding his expression simply nodded. "Yes... Winchesto tried talking to her about my mother but she couldn't remember anything." And the blank looks he received back from the two angels was enough to further agitate him. And in his fit of anger he started shaking the angel in his arms. "What does my mother have to do with the princess?! Tell me!" He hissed into his face. But the angel stayed silent, not giving anything away.

Parisa threw Thiago an uneasy glance as Lucifer stared at them, trying to piece together what he'd just found out. Parisa's eyes silently asking her husband the question that they both were thinking of. Hesitating for a second, the male angel threw a side glance at the demon in front of them before finally gave her a small nod. The two understanding that Lucifer had learned too much... He was too close at uncovering what they were... what Ciana was, and they needed to stop him from uncovering further. Parisa carefully took a step towards the demon who was focusing on her husband at the moment, the female angel's eyes glowing a discreet purple as she tried to lock her eyes onto the demon, ready to start her incantation on him... But before she could step up and do anything, the demon let out a displeased snarl, breaking her focus- her powers immediately faltering and her eyes flickering back to their usual browns.

Frustrated at the Seraph's secrets, the demon threw the male angel in his hands away in anger as he let out a bitter laugh, his red eyes showing complete hatred in them as he shakily took in a breath in discontentment. "Fine! Don't tell me anything! Keep it all a secret like you're keeping everything a secret from the princess! That's just typical of you angels to do so anyway... keeping secrets and putting on a facade of complete arrogance and pride as if everything belongs to you..." He bitterly spat at them, seething and exuming complete rage at the two angels starring at him. "But just know that the princess should at least know what her own parents are hiding from her." He growled angrily as he kicked at a side table- knocking the ceramic vase housing a perfect array of golden flowers to the ground along with it, creating a deafening crash as the once proud array now laid pitifully sprawled onto the ground. Breathing heavily from his exertion, the demon turned back towards the two angels who were now looking up at him in complete fright at his outburst. "But just know that I won't let anything happen to her again, not after we've been wrongly split all those centuries ago due to your manipulations and your secrets... And now that I'm aware of the liars and deceiving fools you two are, I'll make sure to keep her far away from you two." Lucifer said maliciously through clenched teeth as determination took over him- the demon intending to walk towards the angel's door, ready to pick her up and take her away from the two angels that that kept secrets hidden from the two of them.

As his hands reached the girl's doorknob, he suddenly got stopped by the female Seraph as she frantically stepped in front of him, preventing him from entering her room. "Lucifer, stop! You don't understand Lucifer... You can't take care of her, it's impossible for you to do so... Taking her away from us won't do any good, for either you or Ciana." Parisa begged him as she tightly grabbed onto the demon's hand that was tightly holding onto the door handle. Her brown eyes showing pure pain and alarm as she begged through her eyes for the demon to listen to her. "I can see how deeply you care for her... And I can see how much it's hurt you having been kept away from her all these years without leaving a trace of us behind... But know that we didn't do it for nothing, we had no choice, Lucifer. Otherwise we would have never left you at all." The female angel cried out, her frame shaking as she looked pleadingly into the red eyes that constantly haunted her.

"Parisa..." Thiago's strained and cautious voice called out to her, warning her that she was getting too open with the demon. But the female ignored him, seeing that somehow her words were starting to get to the demon.

"So please... please understand that you and Ciana can't ever be together, Lucifer... you shouldn't even have crossed paths with each other in the first place... Allowing the two of you to meet each other had been the biggest mistake we've done... Both your mom's and I's... And I'm trying so, so, so hard to fix that mistake for her." The female angel uttered softly, her voice barely above a whisper as tears started descending down her face- her face now covered in deep lines and weariness that had been unnoticeable until now that he stood so close to her. The demon starred blankly at the angel, his brows slightly knitting together in a frown at the angel's words. "What does my mother have anything to do with your decision to keep me and the princess away? Don't you dare blame her for something you two have done on your own." The demon said, his voice strained as he tried to fight back the pang that hit his chest at the knowledge his mother had been against their friendship as well."

The angel slowly shook her head at him, pity and sorrow filling her brown eyes. "Cassandra knew more than we did, Lucifer... And for your mom's sake, I ask for you to please leave Ciana alone... You're only hurting her by staying by her side."

The demon felt as if he'd been stabbed in the heart at the angel's words. He hadn't heard any news or mention of his mother in the last couple of decades, and now that he was hearing her name again, for some reason it brought along hurt instead of comfort in knowing that she'd also been aiding in plotting against him and Ciana. And in his mind he should've ignored the angel's words, knowing that everything she'd said could have been a lie to manipulate him to stay away from the princess, but at the sincere and raw hurt showing in her eyes, he understood that everything she said was real. "It's not my intentions to hurt her." Lucifer finally uttered to her after a strained silence had fallen over the two. "If my mother truly wanted me to stay away from the princess, if there truly is a reason why she needed you two to rip us away from each other, then give me a good reason- a valid reason why I should stay away from the princess? And it better be a f*cking good one because I won't hesitate to take her here and now if it's some bullshit response like the rest you've given me this night." The demon said through clenched teeth.

For a second, the female angel quietly looked at him, and a flash of hurt quickly showed in her gaze at the way the demon shook as he stood at the door, understanding just conflicting his feelings towards his mother were now. "We know... We know you wouldn't hurt her, Lucifer... Not intentionally..." The female angel threw her husband a quick glance before turning back to the demon and speaking to him a voice so soft one could barely hear. "You were right in the dark powers and energy you feel around her... Which is the main reason why we need you to stay away from her, Lucifer. She's been able to hide and withold her powers well enough up until she met you again... Because it's your presence that brings out what shouldn't be brought out of her. Ciana just can't be around you as you trigger that darkness you've mentioned before... Because you're the one who holds the ability to remind her of her past, Lucifer, a past neither you or Ciana are aware of. You're darkness, everything she should stay away from- everything she shouldn't be. That's why your mother wanted us to keep you away from her."

Lucifer stayed silent, his hand tightening onto the knob, but completely unable to turn it as a flashback of the moment back down in Hell replayed in his mind- reminding him how how much his presence had affected the angel.

Noticing the hesitancy in the demon's action and the clouded look in his face, the female angel took the opportunity and gently took his hand off the knob and lead him away from the door. "Your mother... she was like a sister to me, Lucifer. You were like a son to me as well... It never was easy trying to forget you or your mom, both of you have been such integral parts of our lives... And it broke me having to leave you behind after... after what happened to your mom. But it had to be done. That's why I'm begging you to stay away from Ciana- she's not someone you should fall for... It's not written in the stars for her to have a happy end with you..." The female angel whispered softly, her eyes glossing over at the mention of her long lost best friend- the grieving she'd felt towards her death still sitting heavily on her heart.

"It's still early and you haven't gotten proper sleep... Stay for the day to rest and then head back to the academy tomorrow morning with Ciana." Parisa said softly, gesturing over for maid standing awkwardly at the side after having come back from dropping off the visitor. "Does he have a room ready?" The Seraph asked gently, to which the maid simply nodded to. "Right... please lead him to his room and make sure that all accommodations are sorted out." Parisa said before he gave the demon one last look before leaving down the hallway. The male angel that had stayed silent until now was about to follow suite after his wife when his eye caught sight of the familiar band on the demon's pinky, causing him to stop in his tracks- the deep lines on his face becoming graver as he watched in silent agony at the way the ring fit so perfectly on the demon's finger- as if it belonged there and no where else.

"I really wish things were different for you two... I really do. But sadly Ciana isn't the one who's allowed to give her heart away to anyone." The older angel said before nodding once at the demon before walking after his wife.

...

Ciana silently stood with her back to the door of her room, her hand tightly clutching at her space above her chest as tears silently cascaded down her face. And only when she was sure everyone had finally walked away and left her alone, did the girl drop onto the ground as she started sobbing pitifully at the revelation that had been revealed when the people she cared the most about had thought she'd been unaware of listening in on. How had her day changed so drastically in such a short amount of time? She'd been on cloud nine in the morning as she laid in between the demon's arms. And now she felt as if her whole life had been ripped from under her.

So her parents had known all along about her powers. And not just that, but she's had Fencio and Crowley secretly keen an eye on her during her time at the academy without her knowledge. From what? Some prophesy? And just what memories were they constantly hinting at that she shouldn't recall? But amongst everything she'd heard of, what had hurt her the most was that she had been connected to Cassandra somehow... that she'd actually known her. And her parents had done something in order for her to forget every piece and memory of her. For what, she had absolutely no clue.

"Oh Shepha... What am I?" The girl whispered as she cried into her arms, the soft light streaming through her bedroom window lazily painting golden patterns over her skin as familiar dark tendrils started wrapping around her- eating out the light that had shined onto her.

And outside the window of her bedroom, a dark hooded figure looked over the destressed angel in silence- taking in the new outcome of the girl's newfound discovery over her parent's deceit. And a small smirk graced their lip as they lifted a hand to the glass panel, almost as if reaching out for the angel. "Close... you're so close to finding out who you truly are... so close for us to finally meet once more, Ciana- my other half."

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys, thank you so much for giving this story a read. I've been itching to write and publish this fanfic for a while now, but I've always been hesitant and weary of how much I was lacking as a writer. I've been heavily inspired to write this story after the last HS update, and was super excited when many of you encouraged me to go ahead and share my work. Sadly I'm not specifically the most talented writer nor do I have much experience in sharing my own creations, but I do like to make people's day a bit better if possible, so I'm hoping that some of you might find this entertaining and at least makes your day a little better (honestly, I'm petrified in sharing my writing at all). I've had the main draft for the first chapter done for about a month now, but constantly kept changing and rearranging and at times even scrapping most of it just to make it as perfect as I thought possible. I do have a basic idea of how I want the rest of the story to go, and do have most of the second and third chapter done, as well as some random inspo for parts later in the story so I do hope I can update soon. Thank you again for giving this a chance and please stay safe, these are really challenging times and I do hope everyone stays healthy.  
> -Harmony


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